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Big Six Banks Raise Fixed Mortgage Rates: What Your Renewal Costs Now

  Canadian Money Brief • Mortgages Updated Saturday, October 17, 2026 If your mortgage term ends this winter, the rate you saw advertised in August is probably gone. All six of Canada’s big banks have raised fixed rates since early September, and the Bank of Canada hasn’t touched its policy rate in almost a year. That disconnect catches a lot of homeowners off guard. Your fixed mortgage rate doesn’t follow the Bank of Canada. It follows the bond market. And bond yields have been climbing on oil-driven inflation worries, which means the people feeling it first right now are the ones opening a renewal letter. The numbers at a glance Up to 0.50 pt in fixed-rate increases at the big banks in about five weeks • BoC policy rate still 2.25% • Big bank prime still 4.45% • About $110 a month more on a $400,000 balance from a half-point jump How far have the big banks moved? Depending on the term, some big bank fixed rates are up by as much as half a percentage point in roughly five week...

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Unprecedented Heatwaves Highlight Urgent Climate Crisis

 

In recent months, numerous regions around the globe have been grappling with record-breaking heatwaves, underscoring the escalating impacts of climate change. From North America to Europe, Asia, and beyond, temperatures have soared to unprecedented levels, causing widespread concern among scientists and the public alike.

In the United States, Death Valley experienced temperatures exceeding 125°F (51.7°C) for nine consecutive days in early July, while Las Vegas shattered its all-time heat record at 120°F (48.9°C). Similarly, Europe has faced extreme heat, with countries like Spain and Greece enduring prolonged periods of high temperatures, exacerbating the risk of wildfires.

The situation is equally dire in other parts of the world. In Saudi Arabia, over 1,000 people succumbed to the heat during the Hajj pilgrimage, as temperatures soared to 125°F (51.8°C) at the Grand Mosque in Mecca. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s hospitals have been overwhelmed by heat-related illnesses amid frequent power outages and water shortages.

These extreme heat events are not isolated incidents but part of a broader trend driven by climate change. The global average temperature has been steadily rising, with each of the past 13 months setting new records for that month. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the planet experienced its hottest day in at least eight decades on July 21, only to break that record again the following day.

As greenhouse gas emissions continue to warm the Earth’s atmosphere, the frequency and intensity of heatwaves are expected to increase. This alarming trend highlights the urgent need for global action to mitigate climate change and adapt to its inevitable impacts.


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