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5 Things to Know Today — June 11, 2026

  The Bank of Canada confirmed its fifth straight rate hold yesterday, oil slipped back toward $89 a barrel after fresh U.S. strikes on Iran, and Canada Post workers officially have a new contract. Here is what every Canadian needs to know heading into Wednesday. 1 of 5 — Interest Rates Bank of Canada holds at 2.25% — for the fifth time in a row The Bank of Canada kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 2.25% on June 10, marking five consecutive holds since late 2025. Governor Tiff Macklem said the central bank is trying to balance two opposing forces: inflation pushed higher by elevated energy costs from the Middle East war, and an economy that has barely grown in recent quarters. "Economic weakness combined with rising inflation is a dilemma for monetary policy," Macklem told reporters, adding that holding the rate "balances those risks" for now. What it means for you: Variable-rate mortgage holders and borrowers with lines of credit get another month of pa...

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Canada Pauses Private Refugee Sponsorship Applications Until 2026


The Canadian government has announced a temporary pause on private refugee sponsorship applications from groups of five or more people and community organizations. This measure, effective immediately, will last until December 31, 2025. The decision aims to address the growing backlog of applications and improve processing times for both refugees and sponsors.

Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) stated that the number of applications received annually far exceeds the available spaces for private refugee sponsorships. The government has set a target of admitting 23,000 privately sponsored refugees in its 2025-27 immigration plan, while the total refugee target for next year is just over 58,000 people. As of the end of October, there are over 85,000 pending refugee claims.

IRCC recognizes that this measure will impact the refugee sponsorship community and has pledged to work closely with partners and stakeholders to adjust to these changes and explore long-term improvements to the program. The pause will allow the system to catch up with the existing workload and ensure a more efficient and predictable refugee sponsorship process in the future.

For more information, visit the [IRCC website](https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/news/notices/temporary-pause-intake-refugee-sponsorship-applications-groups-five-community-sponsors.html).







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