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BoC Decision Day: What a Hold at 2.25% Means for Your Mortgage

  Published September 2, 2026 Tomorrow's date has been sitting at the bottom of every Canadian Money Brief for weeks, and it's finally here. The Bank of Canada announces its overnight rate decision on Wednesday, September 2 at 9:45 a.m. ET, with Governor Tiff Macklem holding a press conference at 10:30. Every economist polled by Reuters — all 35 of them — expects the same outcome: a hold at 2.25%, the eighth straight meeting without a move. That's the headline. The more useful question for your wallet is what a "boring" hold actually does — and doesn't do — to your mortgage, and why two of the Big Six banks think the boring streak is about to end. Why a hold is the almost-certain call The Bank has a genuinely awkward setup heading into this meeting. On one side, the economy just posted its best quarter in years: GDP grew at a 3.3% annualized pace in the second quarter, well ahead of the Bank's own 2.5% forecast, and July's jobs report added a blowout ...

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Loyalty Programs: How to Keep Your Points from Expiring

                                 

Canadians love their rewards programs, but keeping track of them all can be difficult. Over 90% of Canadians have joined at least one loyalty program, with the average being more than 12, according to data from one big bank. With all those loyalty programs on the go, a key challenge is to keep the accounts active. Not doing so risks having your points expire, and that’s like leaving money on the table. As a points collector, you should always be in the mindset of earning and burning your points. 

Here are some ways to keep your loyalty programs active:

  • Make some kind of transaction within a 12- to 24-month period.
  • Use apps that help by clearly displaying when your points will expire.
  • Have a co-branded credit card that allows you to earn points on your everyday purchases.
  • Make a purchase with a partner.
  • Donate your points to charity.
  • Transfer points from one loyalty program to another.

Remember, loyalty programs are ruthless. Once your points have expired, the odds of you getting them back are next to none unless you’re willing to pay for them. The easiest way to keep your loyalty programs active is to earn points. That said, if you’re constantly looking for ways to do so, it may be more trouble than it’s worth. It might be better to let your points expire and focus on the programs you regularly benefit from.



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