Skip to main content

Featured

Bank of Canada Holds at 2.25% — What the Fine Print Means for You

  July 15, 2026  |  Canadian Money Brief The Bank of Canada held its policy rate at 2.25% today, exactly as every economist surveyed expected. The number didn't move — but the story underneath it did. Between renewed oil-market chaos, a stubbornly hot inflation reading, and an economy that's finally showing signs of life, this "boring" hold decision was anything but simple. If you've been following our preview piece from earlier this week , this is the follow-up: what actually happened, and what it means for your mortgage, your savings, and your grocery bill. The Decision, in Plain English This marks the sixth consecutive hold since the Bank's last cut back in October 2025. The overnight rate stays at 2.25%, the Bank Rate at 2.5%, and the deposit rate at 2.20%. Bank prime — the number that actually determines your variable mortgage or line of credit rate — stays put at 4.45%. Governor Tiff Macklem has described this level as sitting near the bottom of the Bank...

article

Population growth outpaces job creation in Canada

 


Canada’s labour market is facing a challenge as the number of people looking for work is growing faster than the number of jobs available. According to Statistics Canada, employment increased by 25,000 in November, but the unemployment rate rose to 5.8 per cent from 5.7 per cent in October. This is because the population aged 15 and over grew by 870,000, or 2.7 per cent, since the beginning of the year, while the net job gain was only 430,000.

The Bank of Canada has been raising interest rates to curb inflation, but this has also slowed down the economy and the demand for labour. Some economists expect the central bank to start cutting rates in the second quarter of next year to stimulate growth and stabilize the labour market.

The job gains in November were concentrated in the private sector, full-time work, manufacturing and construction. However, some industries, such as wholesale and retail trade, finance, insurance and real estate, saw job losses. Younger workers (15 to 24) also faced higher unemployment than other age groups.

Average hourly wages rose 4.8 per cent year over year in November, matching the increase in October. The Bank of Canada is monitoring wage growth for signs of inflationary pressure. Total hours worked across the economy fell 0.7 per cent in November, indicating a weak performance of gross domestic product that month.


Comments