October 23, 2024
October 23rd, 2024 The Bank of Canada brought some welcomed news for borrowers today by reducing the prime rate by 50bps. The larger cut was spurred […]
September 4, 2024
September 4th, 2024 The Bank of Canada finished up the most perfect Vancouver summer with a 0.25% rate decrease this morning. Could it get any better? […]
July 24, 2024
July 24, 2024 The Bank of Canada lowered the prime lending rate by 0.25% this morning, marking the 2nd rate cut for 2024. It’s been a […]
July 11, 2024
The latest change in British Columbia’s housing policy, effective July 18, 2024, has left many small real estate investors in Vancouver and North Vancouver feeling frustrated […]
June 5, 2024
The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the Bank of Canada decreased the prime rate by 0.25% this morning. Could life in Vancouver get […]
April 10, 2024
Once again, the Bank of Canada continues to keep the prime at its current rate. Governor Tiff offered further guidance on when he feels we’ll arrive […]
April 4, 2024
CMHC’s annual housing update report was released this morning. For mortgage brokers and realtors, this highly anticipated report sets the tone for what to expect in […]
March 6, 2024
To no surprise ( but to everyone’s relief ), Governor Tiff Macklem left prime at its current rate. Tiff continued to dispel any sense of optimism […]
January 24, 2024
Happy New Year! Welcome to 2024, the year of The Rate Drop ( fingers crossed).Governor Tiff and company started off 2024 by keeping rates on hold. […]
December 6, 2023
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem decided to give us an early Christmas gift today and left the prime rate as is. Unfortunately, it was the […]
October 25, 2023
As the crisp fall air produces a dusting of snow on the mountains, there is a sense of hope that we could be in store for […]
September 6, 2023
Welcome back! I trust you had a wonderful summer and managed to fit in some quality play time! To help ease the transition from a playful […]
July 12, 2023
The Bank of Canada ( BOC ) Governor Tiff Mackelm ( Tiff ) raised the lending rate by 25bps today, making prime 7.20% at most of […]
June 7, 2023
Today, the Bank of Canada (BOC) Governor, Tiff Macklem, decided to raise the prime rate by 25 basis points, and it’s making waves. With little economic […]
April 12, 2023
The Bank of Canada (BOC ) held the prime rate steady today. As if inspired by spring, Governor Tiff proved himself a true economist by giving […]
March 8, 2023
The Bank of Canada ( BOC ) gave us a glimpse of a brighter future by not increasing the prime rate today. Finally! The general theme […]
February 22, 2023
If you’re considering growing your real estate holdings, you should think small, as in square footage. Why? Because the change in the Strata Properties Act in […]
January 25, 2023
Happy New Year(s)! In this first post of 2023, I’d like to wish you all a wonderful year! I know 2022 was stressful for some, but […]
December 7, 2022
As we bring 2022 to a close, the Bank of Canada (BOC) Governor Tiff Macklem (Tiff) increased the prime rate by 0.5% to ensure we get […]
October 26, 2022
Today Governor Tiff Macklem (Tiff) of the Bank of Canada (BOC) surprised Canadians with “only” a 50bps (0.5 percent) rate increase. Given last week’s inflation figures […]
September 7, 2022
With today’s Bank of Canada ( BOC ) decision to raise rates by 75bps, Governor Tiff Macklem affirmed his belief that we are not yet out […]
July 13, 2022
The Bank of Canada (BOC) made the preemptive/scorched earth decision to raise the prime interest rates today by 1%. Combined with the continued decrease in your […]
June 1, 2022
The Bank of Canada ( BOC ) governor Tiff Macklem ( Tiff ) surprised the market today with a 0.5% rate increase to the bank’s prime […]
April 13, 2022
During today’s policy meeting, Governor Tiff Macklem of the Bank of Canada decided to increase the prime rate by 0.5% versus the usual 0.25%. A rate […]
June 9, 2021
As expected the Bank of Canada didn’t change the prime rate today. To sum up the Governors statement in a few words, we aren’t out of […]
April 21, 2021
The prime lending rate was left unchanged today, however, the bond buyback program was trimmed back to $3 billion per week, a sign that the recovery […]
March 16, 2021
The Bank of Canada ( BOC ) left the prime rate unchanged today and maintained their stance that they will keep the prime rate at this […]
January 20, 2021
An economy interrupted. That was the theme of the Bank of Canada (BOC) message today as the Governor kept the prime lending rate as is and […]
December 9, 2020
With no fanfare nor surprise, the Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime lending as is. Tiff Macklem, the BOC governor, also restated his intent to […]
July 15, 2020
Our freshly “minted” Bank of Canada (BOC) Governor, Tiff Macklem, had his first press release today, and as expected, he left the prime rate unchanged. The […]
June 3, 2020
On his last day in the office, the Bank of Canada Governor Stephen Poloz left without much fanfare and maintained the current prime lending rate. Keep […]
April 15, 2020
The Bank of Canada left rates unchanged today, but the real news of the day was the announcement of a new credit facility allowing the BOC […]
April 5, 2020
Warning! This is a long post! It was requested by quite a few people who read our Facebook Post talking about fixed rates increasing. I’ve tried […]
March 4, 2020
In response to the spread of the COVID virus, the Bank of Canada (BOC) dropped the prime rate by 0.5 percent today. Though today’s rate cut […]
December 4, 2019
The prime lending rate was left unchanged today by the Bank of Canada (BOC), which is not a shocker as I’m sure the Vegas odds are […]
October 30, 2019
As expected, the Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime rate unchanged today. Not a big surprise given the recent strong employment figures. Reading between the […]
May 29, 2019
Surprise! The Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime lending rate unchanged today! Reading today’s press release, I had to admire the prose of an incredibly […]
April 24, 2019
As expected the Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime lending rate unchanged today. While I was reading the report this morning it felt as if […]
March 6, 2019
The prime lending rate remained unchanged today by the Bank Of Canada (BOC). Though the BOC Governor anticipated an economic slow down in the first quarter […]
January 9, 2019
The prime lending rate remained unchanged today by the Bank Of Canada (BOC). The keywords repeated throughout the press release were “sustainable pace” and “moderation” which […]
December 5, 2018
The Bank of Canada (BOC) kept rates on hold today given the impact that falling oil prices, slowing global growth and stabilizing housing markets are having […]
October 24, 2018
As expected the Bank of Canada (BOC) increased the prime lending rate today by 25bps. That means prime is now 3.95% or slightly higher, depending on […]
September 25, 2018
In my last blog post titled Credit, Income, Net Worth – What’s Most Important to Lenders – I touched on how the new mortgage rules have […]
September 21, 2018
With the significant changes in the mortgage rules since 2016, I thought it would be a good idea to go back to the basics and talk […]
September 5, 2018
To the surprise of 50 per cent of economists, the Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime rate unchanged today. Two key factors kept the bank […]
July 11, 2018
The Bank of Canada (BOC) increased the prime rate by 25bps today which means prime will now be 3.7% with most lenders by the end of […]
May 30, 2018
As anticipated the Bank of Canada ( BOC ) left rates unchanged today. Though gasoline prices have turned up the heat on the inflationary stove, the […]
April 19, 2018
The Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime rate unchanged today. Which means the prime is 3.45% with most institutions, or 3.6% if you bank with […]
March 7, 2018
The Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime rate unchanged today. Which means the prime is 3.45% with most institutions, or 3.6% if you bank with […]
January 17, 2018
The Bank of Canada (BOC) increased the prime lending rate today by 0.25%, meaning the prime rate by the end of business today should end up at 3.45% unless you […]
December 6, 2017
As anticipated, the Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime rate unchanged today. The Governor’s comments seemed to describe the economy as that rare breed of […]
November 8, 2017
As of January 1st, 2018 the mortgage qualifying rules are about to change dramatically. The good news is only two groups of Canadians will be impacted: 1. Those who […]
October 25, 2017
The BOC Governor’s daily affirmation goes something like this… ” I must keep inflation at 2%, I must keep inflation at 2%” … so with the NAFTA agreement potentially on death row, and the new […]
September 6, 2017
The Bank of Canada (BOC) raised the prime rate by 0.25% today taking the last of the 2015 emergency stimulus out of the system. The rate […]
July 12, 2017
The Bank of Canada (BOC) raised the prime rate by 0.25% today. It’s a move that isn’t so much designed to slow the economy down, but […]
July 12, 2017
As you’ve no doubt heard, the federal government is looking to, yet again, make changes to the mortgage rules. The two aspects of the proposed changes […]
May 24, 2017
The Bank of Canada (BOC) left rates unchanged today, however the tone of their statement had a hint of optimism. The main points in today’s message […]
April 12, 2017
The Bank of Canada (BOC) left rates unchanged this morning and also hinted that the prime rate could stay the same until 2019. The BOC is […]
March 1, 2017
The Bank of Canada (BOC) kept rates the same this morning, however, there was mention of signs of growth in the Canadian economy in the last […]
January 21, 2017
Mortgage Insurers Will Be Increasing Premiums Mortgage insurers announced on January 17th that they will be raising the premiums for all down payments effective March 17th, […]
January 21, 2017
Finally some good news for First Time Buyers! In case you missed the headlines, the BC Government has launched a new program to help First Time […]
January 18, 2017
The Bank of Canada (BOC) kept rates the same this morning, echoing the sentiments of the last meeting – rates are likely to stay untouched until […]
December 7, 2016
The Bank of Canada (BOC) kept rates the same this morning, which may seem like a forgone conclusion, however, there was talk over the past couple […]
November 24, 2016
With the recent increases in fixed mortgage rates, some of our clients are asking is it time to lock in our variable rate mortgage. It’s […]
October 19, 2016
As expected the Bank of Canada (BOC) kept the prime interest rate the same. With the new mortgage rules brought in by Finance Minster Bill Morneau, the BOC’s […]
October 4, 2016
New Rules Designed to Make Housing Affordable? The Government announced three rule changes today. Two of the rules were expected, the third one however will significantly […]
September 7, 2016
As widely expected, the Bank of Canada (BOC) left rates unchanged today. Some key points in Governor’s comments were: We are seeing the quantified effect on […]
July 13, 2016
Our Variable Rate Updates are starting to sound like a broken record, and I’m not sure if they are being read at this point since they […]
May 25, 2016
The Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime rate unchanged today but the Governor is expecting growth to return in the third quarter of 2016. […]
April 13, 2016
The Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime rate unchanged today citing the weakness in the global economy, the significant slack in labour production capacity and […]
March 9, 2016
The Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime rate unchanged today. The wording of the announcement suggested that the Governor is feeling cautiously optimistic. With the […]
January 20, 2016
The Bank of Canada (BOC) left the prime rate unchanged today. Though the economic growth is in the lower range of the bank’s 2% target range, […]