The BoC Rate Hold: Brought to You By the Letter ‘U’ for Uncertain
Stephen Punwasi, March 18, 2026 Canada’s normally calm central bank admitted it has no clue what it should be doing right now. The Bank of Canada (BoC) held its key overnight rate, but made it clear this isn’t the usual sign of confidence in a stable economy. Warning of the threat of dual shocks to energy and global economic growth, the Governor’s opening remarks made it clear that he felt uncertain about what comes next. Heck, close to 1% of the words in the Governor’s opening remarks were...
read moreThe Property/Casualty Insurance Market – Soft!
Andreas Schwartze, MBA, CIP The insurance buyer is in charge again! It happens when economies falter and there’s no question that the Canadian economy is stalled badly. Gross domestic product is growing at under 1%, productivity is falling and, most disturbing, the engine of our economic prosperity is rooted in the world of small business. The number of small businesses that are closing currently exceeds the number of new businesses being registered, many of which are self incorporations...
read moreHow Canada can turn housing investments into more rental homes
Presented in partnership with Starlight Investments The Hub Staff, 12 March 2026 The federal government’s $51 billion Build Strong Communities Fund represents a significant commitment to addressing Canada’s housing crisis, but ensuring those investments translate into new homes will require strong coordination between all levels of government, according to a major rental housing provider. Howard Paskowitz, vice president, development & public affairs, Canadian residential at Starlight...
read moreCanadian Building Intentions Surge, Mostly Government Spending
Daniel Wong, March 12, 2026 Canadian headline building intentions are still coming in strong, but details are less flattering. Statistics Canada (StatCan) data show building permit values climbed in January, but remain weaker than pre-2023 levels once inflation-adjusted. A non-residential surge was behind most of the improvement, but it was taxpayer-funded, cementing Canada’s dependence on borrowed growth. Building permit values climbed 4.8% to $13.3 billion in January, one of the highest...
read moreHigh Art Capital Announces GTA Rental and Affordable Housing Initiative, in Partnership with Building Ontario Fund
Fund expected to be capitalized with a minimum of $1.3 billion and designed to unlock approximately 2,200 long-term rental units, including approximately 550 affordable units March 10, 2026 4:59 PM EDT | Source: High Art Capital High Art Capital today announced the launch of its GTA Rental and Affordable Housing Initiative, a fund expected to be capitalized with a minimum of $1.3 billion, to acquire blocks of newly completed, unsold condominium units across the Greater Toronto Area and convert...
read moreWEEK OF MARCH 16, EVENTS WITH JILLIAN KATZENBACK
Events for the week of March 16, 2026 2026 RHC Conference – PM Springfest – yBILD Trivia Night – LandPRO Conference – LPMA Tradeshow – RHC Webinar – FRPO RTA Legal Series – BILD Builder Baseball – 2026 HDAA Golf – 2026 Greenwin Cares Golf Classic – 2026 FRPO Charity Golf Classic – 2026 RHPNS Awards Gala, Dinner and...
read moreBILD: Let’s not miss a historic opportunity to create lasting change
Reforming the development charge system would give new homebuyers better access to more affordable housing Dave Wilkes, Published Mar 06, 2026 As Canada’s housing industry continues to grapple with affordability pressures, record-low new home sales, supply constraints, and slow policy implementation, there comes a rare silver lining in the form of a massive opportunity to make lasting change to how we fund growth in Ontario. Announced in the fall federal budget, the government has earmarked...
read moreAlberta eyes a brighter future for commercial real estate
Home-grown investors are showing strong interest in opportunities By: Cory Wosnack and Brennan Yadlowski, Avison Young (Canada) Inc., for Western Investor Mar 6, 2026 Optimism is growing for Alberta’s commercial real estate sector in the coming year as we continue to build upon successes from 2025. We anticipate growth in Alberta’s gross domestic product (GDP), and strong performance in Calgary’s industrial and multi-family segments, while there is positive potential in Edmonton retail and...
read moreCanada’s Public Spending Spree Means Higher Mortgages For Longer
Stephen Punwasi, March 6, 2026 Canada is using public spending to mask private sector weakness, and the bill won’t stop at taxes. A new National Bank of Canada (NBC) report warns public investment is growing at over twice the rate of overall GDP. It’s also fueling more borrowing, lifting the benchmark rate that impacts borrowing costs for everything from government debt to your mortgage. Recently more of that spending has been directed into capital projects, including defence—but swapping...
read moreTrade tensions, population shifts raise housing risks across Canada
Signal49 forecast mapped new fault lines for brokers watching provincial economies By Liezel Once, 04 Mar. 2026 Trade uncertainty and a sharp turn in Canada’s population story has already been changing provincial outlooks. That shift is also filtering through to housing and mortgage markets. The trends are highlighted in new research from Signal49 Research, formerly The Conference Board of Canada. The firm’s latest provincial forecast, finalized before the late‑February escalation of conflict...
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