Skip to main content

Featured

Canadians Gain More Room to Save with 2025 TFSA Limit

  The Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) contribution limit for 2025 has been set at $7,000 , giving Canadians another opportunity to grow their investments tax-free. Since its launch in 2009, the TFSA has become one of the most popular savings tools in the country, offering flexibility and tax advantages that appeal to both short-term savers and long-term investors. For those who have never contributed to a TFSA and were eligible since the beginning, the total cumulative contribution room now stands at $102,000 . This allows Canadians to deposit a significant amount into their accounts without worrying about taxes on investment gains, dividends, or withdrawals. One of the TFSA’s biggest advantages is that withdrawals are tax-free and the amount withdrawn is added back to your contribution room the following year . This makes it ideal for saving toward major purchases, retirement, or even emergency funds. Unlike RRSPs, contributions are not tax-deductible, but the growth inside the...

article

Canada’s economy shrinks in Q3 amid export and consumer woes

 


Here is a short article based on the web page you are viewing:

Canada’s economy shrinks in Q3 amid export and spending woes

Canada’s economy contracted by 1.1 per cent on an annualized basis in the third quarter of 2023, according to Statistics Canada. This was a much weaker result than expected by analysts and the Bank of Canada, which had forecast a slight growth of 0.1 per cent and 0.8 per cent, respectively.

The main factors behind the economic decline were a drop in exports, a slump in business investment, and a stagnation in consumer spending. Exports fell by 5.1 per cent, reflecting lower shipments of energy products, motor vehicles, and aircraft. Business investment decreased by 10.1 per cent, as firms reduced their spending on machinery and equipment, intellectual property, and non-residential structures. Consumer spending was flat, as households saved more of their income amid rising interest rates.

The only bright spots in the third quarter were government spending, which increased by 7.3 per cent, boosted by a one-time GST/HST credit payment, and residential housing investment, which rose by 8.3 per cent, driven by a surge in new construction.

The Canadian economy also performed poorly compared with the U.S. economy, which grew by 5.2 per cent in the same period. Canada has been more sensitive to the impact of higher interest rates, which have been raised by the Bank of Canada to 5 per cent from 0.25 per cent since early 2022. The central bank has recently signalled that it may pause or reverse its tightening cycle, as inflation has eased and economic growth has faltered.

Some economists believe that the third quarter contraction was a temporary setback and that the economy will rebound in the fourth quarter and beyond. Statistics Canada estimated that GDP grew by 0.2 per cent in October, indicating a modest recovery. However, others warn that the economy may face more headwinds in the new year, such as the ongoing supply chain disruptions, the spread of the new COVID-19 variant, and the uncertainty over the federal fiscal policy.

Comments