Anyone want a camper? It’s a buyer’s market for RVs as pandemic-era sales fizzle

Like a lot of Canadians, Alan Hong and his wife bought a trailer in 2020. Air travel was out of the question because of pandemic restrictions, and it made sense to spend time and money exploring the great outdoors.  But now, they’re looking to get off life on the open road and get back in … Read more

Home sales and prices edging up as housing market ‘could get interesting,’ reports say

The housing market could soon get “interesting,” economists say, as home prices and sales start to edge up, according to a pair of new reports released Friday. In its latest quarterly Home Price Update and Market Forecast, Royal LePage is forecasting that the aggregate price of a home in Canada will increase nine per cent in the fourth … Read more

Some consumers, businesses are feeling more optimistic about the economy, say BoC surveys

The Bank of Canada says business and consumer sentiment improved during the first quarter of the year, despite higher interest rates still putting a drag on the economy. The central bank on Monday released its business outlook and consumer expectations surveys, which showed increased optimism as people expect interest rate cuts are nearing. Although firms … Read more

Canada Goose is laying off 17 per cent of its global corporate staff

Luxury parka maker Canada Goose says it is laying off 17 per cent of its global corporate workforce. CEO Dani Reiss wrote in a LinkedIn note Tuesday that the job cuts are meant to put the company in a better position for scaling and will help the Toronto-based business focus on efficiency and key brand, design … Read more

Hidden cameras capture bank employees misleading customers, pushing products that help sales targets

Michelle Jeraline says she’s so stressed out by the pressure to sell customers products at TD Bank, it’s affected her health.  The TD employee says she’s usually not acting in the best interest of her clients — she’s trying to sell them products that will help her meet sales targets and keep her from being … Read more

Furey asks Trudeau to halt carbon tax increase, citing few options for consumers in N.L.

Premier Andrew Furey said the carbon tax doesn’t incentivize people to switch to renewable energy because the infrastructure to make that shift possible isn’t yet established in Newfoundland and Labrador. (Ted Dillon/CBC) Premier Andrew Furey shared an open letter Tuesday addressed to the prime minister, asking him to pause an upcoming increase to the carbon tax … Read more

Flair Airlines CEO looks to bid on Lynx planes after shutdown halts tentative merger

Flair Airlines chief executive Stephen Jones says he still hopes to add several Lynx Air planes to his fleet, even after their tentative merger fell through when Lynx shut down last month. In a phone interview, Jones said the Boeing 737 Max 8s are the same model that comprise the bulk of his 20-plane fleet … Read more

Equifax says mortgage-holders in B.C., Ontario, increasingly missed payments during Q4

Consumers in Ontario and British Columbia increasingly missed payments on mortgages and credit cards in the fourth quarter of 2023, Equifax Canada said. The fourth quarter saw a continuation of what’s been happening for a while now as the impacts of higher interest rates and inflation continue to weigh on consumers, said Rebecca Oakes, vice-president … Read more

Why drought on the Prairies is making your steak more expensive

Ask John Wildenborg if he thinks Canadians will be paying more for steak during future barbecue seasons, and the owner of Calgary specialty butcher shop Master Meats doesn’t hesitate. “Prices are definitely going to go higher, no ifs, ands or buts about it,” he said. “It keeps me up at night, actually, thinking about coming … Read more

$350B in pandemic savings was supposed to give the economy a huge boost. It still hasn’t happened

After the pandemic hit in 2020, some business owners and households were hard hit financially as a result of lockdown measures. But at the same time, many Canadians saw their bank accounts grow because of their reduced spending. Those savings ballooned to over $300 billion and became so large that economists expected there would be … Read more