Skip to main content

Featured

5 Things to Know Today: Tariffs, a CPI Surprise, and the Mortgage Rate Gap

  July 21, 2026 A new round of US tariffs, a surprise inflation dip, and a widening gap between fixed and variable mortgage rates are all moving in different directions today. Here's what's happening and what it means for your money. 1. Washington hits Canada with new 50% tariffs on everyday goods The White House has announced fresh 50% tariffs on a wide list of Canadian exports, including wine, dairy, furniture, hockey equipment, cement, and clothing. The move is framed as retaliation over Canada's dairy quotas, car import rules, and provincial bans on US alcohol. The tariffs take effect August 19 and apply even to goods that would normally qualify duty-free under CUSMA, though energy, potash, fish, and critical minerals are exempt. What it means for you: This round targets export industries, not imports into Canada, so it won't directly raise shelf prices here the way a Canadian tariff on US goods would. The bigger risk is indirect — job pressure in affected sectors ...

article

New CPP rules mean higher deductions and benefits for Canadians



Starting Monday, Canadians will see a change in their paycheques as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) introduces a new earnings ceiling for higher-income earners.

The new ceiling, which applies to anyone earning more than $68,500 in 2024, is part of a broader pension revamp that began in 2019. The goal is to provide more financial support for Canadians after they retire, by increasing both the contributions and the benefits of the CPP.

Under the new rules, workers and employers will pay an additional four per cent on the amount they earn between $68,500 and $73,200. This means a maximum of $188 more in payroll deductions for 2024. Self-employed people will pay both portions, or eight per cent.

The trade-off is that Canadians will eventually receive higher payouts once they start collecting their pensions. The enhanced CPP is designed to replace one-third of a person’s eligible income, up from one-quarter under the old system.

The full effects of the CPP changes will take decades to materialize, so the youngest workers stand to gain the most. People retiring 40 years from now will see their income go up by more than 50 per cent compared to the current pension beneficiaries.

The CPP changes do not affect the eligibility criteria for retirement pension, post-retirement benefits, disability pension and survivor’s pension.


-

Comments