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5 Things to Know Today: BoC Hike Odds Near 80%, Oil Tops US$100, Loonie Hits 5-Week High

  Canadian Money Brief  |  Saturday, October 24, 2026 The Bank of Canada is expected to raise rates on Wednesday, oil is back above US$100 and stocks slipped on AI worries. Here are the five things to know this Saturday, and what each one means for your wallet. 1 The Bank of Canada is widely expected to hike on Wednesday Markets are putting roughly an 80% chance on a quarter-point increase at the Bank of Canada’s Oct. 28 decision, which would lift the policy rate from 2.25% to 2.50%. A majority of economists polled by Reuters also expect a second hike by the end of March. The shift followed hawkish comments from Governor Tiff Macklem about a higher inflation outlook driven by oil. What it means for you Every 0.25-point increase adds about $250 a year (roughly $21 a month) for each $100,000 of prime-linked debt, such as a variable-rate mortgage or HELOC. Fixed-rate holders are not hit directly, but renewals are being priced off higher bond yields. Savers may see HISA and...

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Thousands of Canadians Die While Waiting for Surgery



According to a recent report, more than 17,000 Canadians have died while waiting for surgery or diagnostic scans in 2022-23. The report also suggests that the actual number could be higher. This is a concerning issue that needs to be addressed.

Long wait times for surgeries, MRI and CT scans are putting thousands of patients at risk. The surgical waitlist in Ontario alone surpasses 200,000 people . This comes off the back of a 21-page report from CUPE’S Ontario Council of Hospital Unions that found hospital staff vacancies have grown dramatically, increasing 19 per cent over the last year, and currently 37,00 positions remain unfilled .

The consequences of the long waits are stark, as more than 2,000 people died on waiting lists for surgeries last year, up almost 50 per cent from the year before. Another 9,400 patients died waiting for MRIs and CT scans . The situation is dire and requires immediate attention.


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