Time for your cheat sheet on this week’s top stories.
Canadian Real Estate
Bank of Canada’s Commitment To Mandate Questionable If It Cuts Here: BMO
The Bank of Canada’s (BoC) credibility is being questioned for the second time in recent years. While headline inflation plunged due to the carbon tax repeal, the BoC-preferred CPI-Core surged beyond its tolerance range. This comes after the central bank cut rates—adding inflationary stimulus to an already accelerating trend. BMO warned investors that further rate cuts at this inflation level would force markets to doubt the BoC’s commitment to its mandate.
Canadian First-Time Home Buyers Rely On Non-Mortgage Debt & Gifts
Canadian home prices dipped slightly, but first-time buyers face even steeper challenges. CMHC data reveals:
- over 50% used non-mortgage debt, like credit cards and lines of credit, to cover unexpected purchasing costs
- 41% used gifted money for a down payment
- 54% now co-own with non-occupying buyers, such as their parents
These trends, rare before 2020, signal extreme buyer vulnerability and market distortion. Worse, the flood of non-traditional capital is artificially inflating starter home prices and making it worse.
Canadian Mortgage Rates Set To Rise As Yields Soar On Inflation Data
Canadians anticipating lower mortgage rates received unwelcome news this week. Hotter-than-expected inflation sent bond yields soaring, with the 5-year Government of Canada (GoC) being of particular note. Since fixed mortgage rates move with GoC bond yields, expect the surge to be reflected in borrowing costs soon (if they haven’t already adjusted).
Bank of Canada Loses Grip: Core Inflation Soars Above Tolerance
The carbon tax repeal predictably sent headline inflation plunging, masking the real issue: CPI-Core just breached the BoC’s upper tolerance band. Unlike headline data, core measures minimize temporary shocks to provide a clearer picture of the influence of monetary policy, and they show inflation accelerating. With tariff negotiations going smoother than expected, the Canadian economy’s biggest pain may be self-inflicted if the BoC doesn’t correct course.
English (US) · 