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Your daily horoscope: January 14, 2025

  HOROSCOPES IF TODAY IS YOUR BIRTHDAY If your current way of working does not seem to be taking you closer to your goals then ditch it completely and start over. New technologies such as artificial intelligence could help you immensely this year, IF you have the intelligence to use them wisely. ARIES (March 21 - April 20): There is a lot of pressure building up in your life at the moment but that’s okay because you thrive on being challenged. When the going gets tough Aries is the first sign to get tough in return and today will be no exception. TAURUS (April 21 - May 21): You may be in two minds about what direction you should be taking but what occurs over the next 24 hours will point the way and all you have to do is follow the lead that the universe gives you. Get past your doubts and get moving. GEMINI (May 22 - June 21): If you start something new today it will take up a lot more time and energy than you expected, so think about it carefully and make sure you will be able to...

How Canada’s new measures will make banking more fair and affordable in 2024

 

Canada’s government has announced a series of new measures to ensure Canadians are treated fairly by their banks and to make banking more affordable for everyone. These measures, which will take effect in 2024, include:

  • Protecting Canadians from rising mortgage payments by requiring banks to provide tailored mortgage relief to borrowers at risk of default on their principal residence, in accordance with the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada’s (FCAC) new guideline.
  • Enhancing low-cost and no-cost account options by working with financial institutions to improve the features of these accounts, such as providing more debit transactions, online bill payments, and e-transfers with no extra fees, and expanding the eligibility and availability of these accounts to more Canadians.
  • Lowering non-sufficient fund (NSF) fees, which can be as high as $50, by issuing direction to banks to reduce these fees, which disproportionately impact low-income Canadians and those who do not have access to overdraft protection.
  • Designating an independent and transparent not-for-profit organization, the Ombudsman for Banking Services and Investments (OBSI), as the single external complaints body for Canada’s banking sector, to provide Canadians with an impartial advocate when they have complaints with their bank.

These measures are part of the government’s action to bring down inflation and stabilize prices for Canadians, as well as to support the economic recovery from the pandemic. The government also plans to introduce framework legislation in Budget 2024 to enable consumer-driven banking, which will give Canadians more control over their financial data and access to innovative financial services.

The government says that these measures will help ensure that Canada remains the best place in the world to live, work, and raise a family, and that the banking sector serves the needs and interests of all Canadians.

In addition to these measures, Canadians can also benefit from the increase in the Tax-Free Savings Account (TFSA) contribution limit for 2024, which will rise to $7,500, up from $6,000 in 2023. This means that Canadians who were eligible for the TFSA since its inception in 2009 will be able to invest a cumulated total of $95,000 in 2024, tax-free.


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