CMHC multi-unit insurance jumps 30% as securitization volumes rise
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation insured 71,733 multi-unit residential units in Q1, far outpacing traditional homeowner insurance as its securitization activity also climbed. Written by CMT Team, May 29, 2026 Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation saw a sharp increase in multi-unit mortgage insurance activity in the first quarter, with volumes far outpacing transactional homeowner insurance as the agency continued to expand its role in rental housing finance. CMHC insured 71,733...
read moreWhat the new Fed chair means for Canada
Kevin Warsh is sworn in as Fed chair — here’s what Canadian mortgage brokers need to know By Liezel Once, 22 May 2026 Kevin Warsh was sworn in as the 11th chair of the Federal Reserve on May 22, 2026, replacing Jerome Powell after an eight-year tenure. For Canadian mortgage brokers, the leadership change carries real implications, even though the Fed sets no policy in Ottawa. The Fed’s approach to interest rates directly influences US Treasury yields, which in turn shape Government...
read moreTech and AI driving office leasing in Vancouver and other gateways, says report
Technology industry could reshape commercial real estate in years ahead, says CBRE Jami Makan, May 12, 2026 AI is expected to be a major growth driver for Vancouver’s tech industry and office space demand over the next decade, according to a new report. The commercial real estate market could be reshaped as AI adoption scales across industries and transforms business, said the 2026 Tech Gateway Office Markets report by CBRE Ltd. The report, released Monday, examined how a tech growth cycle is...
read moreCanadian Office Vacancy Expected To Hit Pre-Pandemic Levels By 2029
The national office vacancy rate in Canada peaked in 2025 at 14.9%, but is now on the decline again. Howard Chai, May 08, 2026 Six years later, office markets across the country (and beyond) are still feeling the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, which changed the world forever by making remote work mainstream. But things are on the upswing. In Q1 2020, at the onset of the pandemic, the national office vacancy rate was just under 8% according to commercial real estate services firm Colliers....
read moreBrick-and-mortar retail resilient as macroeconomic storm clouds gather
Population growth drives retail traffic and demand for space Howard Chai, May 1, 2026 Online shopping has been the bogeyman of brick-and-mortar retailers since well before the COVID-19 pandemic forced everybody online. But the reports of the death of in-person retail were greatly exaggerated. “We’re always talking about the demise of retail because of e-commerce, but it’s persevered over the years,” said Raymond Wong, vice-president of data solutions with Altus Group. A survey of investment...
read more‘Trump effect’ continues to exert a powerful hold on Canadian housing market outlook
The US president’s decisions over the past 16 months have weighed down the market – and that trend looks set to continue for the foreseeable future By Fergal McAlinden, 20 Apr. 2026 Five-year Government of Canada bond yields wobbled on Monday morning amid a jump in inflation and fresh uncertainty over the future of the US-Iran war. The national inflation rate rose to 2.4% in March, according to Statistics Canada, confirming that the continuing conflict in the Middle East is jolting prices and...
read moreB.C. population drops by 41,000 residents, first decline in 151 years cools housing demand
Kenneth Chan, Apr 17 2026 British Columbia’s population declined by more than 41,000 people in 2025 — marking only the second annual decrease in the province’s history. This is based on a new housing market report by Vancouver-based real estate and marketing firm Rennie that links the drop directly to shifting immigration policy and a cooling housing market. There has been a dramatic reversal after years of rapid population growth and intensifying housing demand across the province. After...
read moreNet office leasing was positive in 6 out of 11 Canadian cities: CBRE report
The national downtown office availability rate dropped to 18.2 percent in the first quarter of 2026 By Jacqueline So , Apr 08, 2026 Net office leasing was positive in six out of 11 Canadian cities over the first quarter of 2026, according to the “Q1 2026 Canada Office Figures” report published by CBRE. Net office leasing across Canada hit 2.1 million square feet; thus, the national downtown office vacancy rate dropped to 18.2 percent. Toronto spearheaded the leasing momentum, with 1.9 million...
read moreCanada’s rental vacancy rate to hit highest level in a decade: RBC
Cooling rents mask future supply risks for investors, lenders and brokers By Liezel Once, 02 Apr. 2026 Canada’s rental market appeared to be moving out of crisis mode in 2025, with purpose‑built vacancy rates edging toward territory traditionally seen as balanced. However, RBC Economics argued that the apparent relief for tenants concealed a shorter‑term correction rather than a lasting reset. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)’s latest Rental Market Report showed the national...
read moreCanadian Commercial Real Estate Is Warming Up To AI, But Slowly
For companies with smaller portfolios and less capital, AI overhauls and massive returns aren’t a quick process. Still, optimism surrounding the autonomous tech persists. Teagan Sliz, March 27, 2026 Increased efficiency and reduced costs. That is what AI promises the commercial real estate industry. And it’s a tantalizing promise, but despite the big buzz around big tech, a recent report shows uptake of AI solutions in the commercial segment has been underwhelming. Why? According to a...
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