Budget 2026: Affordability Tops Canadians’ Concerns as Threats from Trump and AI Rise, But Few Expect the Budget to Make Their Lives Better
A new Abacus Data survey conducted ahead of Thursday’s federal budget finds Canadians approaching Budget Day with significant concerns about their household finances and the country’s economic future. The rising cost of living remains the most important issue facing Canada, while Donald Trump and the United States are increasingly seen as the country’s greatest threat. Concern about artificial intelligence has...
Fiscal and monetary policy are not at odds, Bank of Canada's Macklem tells MPs
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says he doesn't think the federal government's fiscal policy is at odds with the central bank's efforts to control inflation. Macklem spoke to members of Parliament on the House of Commons finance committee this morning, two days before the Liberal government plans to table its 2026 federal budget. Conservative finance critic Michael Chong asked...
Confidence in the slow lane: Canadian consumer sentiment is holding near neutral as economic expectations trail household confidence.
The Bloomberg-Nanos Canadian Confidence Index stands at 50.98, little changed from 50.45 four weeks earlier and below its long-term average of 54.65. Household sentiment is firmer, with the Pocketbook Index at 54.19, while expectations for the economy and property prices remain weaker at 47.77. Confidence has eased from its February peak of 54.19, leaving Canadians broadly divided over their economic...
Economic growth stalled again in August, StatCan says
Statistics Canada says the economy stalled for a second month in a row in August amid weakness in the public sector and wholesale trade. The agency says real gross domestic product was essentially unchanged in August despite a rebound in retail trade that more than offset a decline in July. Manufacturing output has also grown in five of the last...
Bank of Canada's 1st rate hike in three years won't be the last, economists argue
The Bank of Canada raised its benchmark interest rate for the first time in more than three years on Wednesday as it tries to get ahead of looming price hikes. The central bank's policy rate now stands at 2.5 per cent following a quarter-point hike. That key rate, which influences the cost of borrowing for banks, businesses and consumers alike...
Bank of Canada Seen Hiking as Oil Creates Stubborn Inflation: Decision Guide
is likely to hike interest rates for the first time in more than three years as policymakers grow increasingly concerned about the inflation risk posed by the cost of energy.
Optimism on hold: Economic confidence is steady, but expectations have yet to cross into positive territory.
Canada’s economic mood remains finely balanced. The Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index stands at 51.22, little changed from 50.88 four weeks ago. Household sentiment remains the stronger component, with the Pocketbook Index at 54.34. Expectations are more subdued at 48.09, suggesting Canadians remain cautious about the economic and housing outlook. Confidence has improved from spring lows, but a decisive turn...
Macklem Ensnared by Market Pricing and Will Hike, Economists Say
Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem may have boxed himself into an interest-rate hike next week after his hawkish commentary convinced traders a hike is all but certain.
Improving Macrofinancial Stability in Canada
In a previous commentary, I suggested that the Bank of Canada replace its near-term inflation targeting framework (maintaining two per cent inflation over a horizon of approximately two years) with a macrofinancial stability framework. This new regime would focus on ensuring price stability over a longer-term horizon, allowing policy interest rates to “lean” against financial booms and busts. In this...
Confidence creeps, caution remains – Canada’s economic mood marginally up, but expectations have yet to turn decisively positive.
Canadian consumer confidence strengthened in mid-October, with the Bloomberg-Nanos index rising to 51.68 from 49.86 four weeks earlier. The improvement was driven largely by brighter expectations: that sub-index climbed to 48.41 from 44.82. Pocketbook confidence, covering personal finances and job security, was broadly unchanged at 54.94. Even so, overall confidence remains below its long-run average of 54.66, suggesting Canadians are...
Holding above water – economic sentiment remains hovering at neutral as Canadians balance financial resilience with a measured outlook.
Canada’s economic mood remained broadly stable in early October. The Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index changed to 51.34 from 50.38 four weeks earlier, remaining at the neutral threshold. Views on personal finances and job security were comparatively stronger, while expectations relating to the economy and real estate were more mixed. Overall, the results point to modestly positive consumer sentiment, with...
Canada sheds 68,000 jobs, unemployment rate up to 6.5% in September
Canada’s economy posted a second consecutive month of job losses in September, pushing up the unemployment rate and offsetting what had been a hot streak for the labour market earlier in the year. Statistics Canada said Friday the economy lost 68,000 positions in September, coming off a loss of 42,000 roles in August. Economists had expected a gain of 9,20...
Confidence lands on neutral as expectations weaken
Canadian confidence is treading water. The Bloomberg-Nanos Canadian Confidence Index slipped to 50.45 from 51.80 four weeks earlier. Confidence in personal finances and job security remains comparatively resilient, but expectations for the broader economy and housing market have softened. The result is a public mood marked less by alarm than by caution: households are holding steady, yet doubts about Canada’s...
Pocketbook resilient as outlook drifting in neutral.
Canadian consumer confidence was little changed in late September. The Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index stands at 50.88, compared with 51.72 four weeks earlier. Views of personal finances and job security improved modestly, with the Pocketbook Index rising to 54.67 from 53.75. At the same time, expectations for the economy and real estate market softened, with the Expectations Index remaining in neutral.
Carrying it forward: Indigenous women, economic leadership, and the power of enterprise
The visibility of Indigenous women in business can seem like a relatively new story, but it is not. Indigenous women have been leading in business and trade for centuries across North America. However, Indigenous women became disconnected from these responsibilities when the Crown imposed a sex-based hierarchy with the Gradual Enfranchisement Act of 1869. Under that act a First Nations...
Canadian confidence slips below neutral for first time in about five months
The Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index moved below the neutral 50-point mark, declining from 52.81 four weeks ago to 49.86. The change reflected lower expectations for the economy and housing market, while assessments of personal finances and job security remained relatively stable. Overall confidence is below both its 2026 average and its long-term historical average, indicating a more subdued economic...
Inflation holds at 3% in August as rent, travel prices rise: StatCan
The annual rate of inflation was unchanged at three per cent in August as a slowdown in rising gas prices was offset by higher rent and travel tour costs, Statistics Canada said Monday. Gasoline costs continued to rise in August but at a slower pace, with prices up 22.8 per cent compared with 25.7 a month earlier, as the conflict...
Confidence eases amid uncertainty over Canada-U.S. trade
Canadian consumer confidence eased in early September, with the Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index lowering to 50.38 from 53.38 four weeks earlier. The decline was driven by softer expectations for the economy and real estate, while views on personal finances and job security remained comparatively stable.
The Orchard Visit - The Canada Investment Summit opens in Toronto on Monday. Most of what Canada has to show is not yet ripe.
At Carney’s invitation, the world’s biggest institutional investors are arriving in Toronto to look over opportunities to invest in Canada — opportunities that may not yet be ripe for their taste. About 300 chief executives and senior managers gather Monday evening and Tuesday at the Four Seasons in Toronto. Between them they manage $120 trillion in assets, fifty times the...
The price of diesel is skyrocketing. Here's why Canadians may soon feel it at the grocery store
With diesel prices skyrocketing due to ongoing global conflicts, filling up the trucks that carry food and goods across Canada has never been more expensive, experts say — and Canadians could be feeling it soon. "It's very bad," Tej Dulat, director of government and public affair with the Canadian Truck Operators Association, told CBC News.
Canada's oil windfall may yet wipe out its losses from tariffs
Even as Trump tries to squeeze Canada, Iran war's oil industry impact sends billions to this country's coffers. Canadians are well aware of the damage U.S. President Donald Trump has inflicted on this country by signing off on tariffs targeting about $27.6 billion in Canadian products. But thanks to his unsuccessful management of the Iran war, Trump's other hand is...
Carney Extends Lead on Economic Management in Canada
Just under three-in-five Canadians rate the country’s economic conditions as “poor” or “very poor”. Vancouver, BC [September 10, 2026] – The gap between Canada’s prime minister and the leader of the Official Opposition on financial matters has grown over the past seven months, a new Research Co. poll has found. In the online survey of a representative national sample, 59%...
Consumers confidence holds its ground as expectations ease
Canadian confidence held its score since the last wave of tracking, with the Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index at 51.80. Views on personal finances and job security were stronger, reflected in a Pocketbook Index score of 54.83. Expectations for the economy and housing were weaker, leaving the Expectations Index at 48.76 and below the neutral 50-point mark.
August jobs report 'disappointing' but too soon to sound the alarm: economists
Economists weren't ringing any alarm bells after fresh data showed the labour market broke its hot streak with a loss of 42,000 jobs in August. The unemployment rate held steady at 6.4 per cent last month, Statistics Canada said Friday. August’s losses fell short of economists’ expectations for a gain of 15,000 positions. Heading into last month, employers had been...
Consumer confidence declines on trade uncertainty
Canadian consumer confidence showed negative pressure immediately on the escalation of trade tensions with the United States. The forward looking Expectations Sub-indice declined, in a seven day period, from 51.61 to 49.70 points on the 100 point diffusion index. Any score above 50 is positive while a score below 50 is negative. This should be monitored in terms of new trajectory for the trend line.
Our economy? Now for the bad news
Statistics Canada reported Friday that the Canadian economy grew by 3.3% on an annualized basis in the second quarter (April to June) of this year, its best performance since 2023 and highest in the G7.
Canada’s economy can survive almost anything Donald Trump throws at us — but there could be a price to pay
Canada’s economy is strong enough to stand up to Donald Trump. Given the years of self-flagellation that preceded this trade war, you might not have known that. All the talk of lacklustre productivity, of regulatory roadblocks and uncompetitive tax policies, could easily have given you the impression that we’re here for Trump’s taking.
Economy grew 3.3% annualized in Q2 as StatCan revisions settle recession debate
Fresh data from Statistics Canada on Friday suggests the economy was growing at a healthy clip in the second quarter and rumblings of a recession earlier in the year might’ve been overblown. Real gross domestic product rose 3.3 per cent in the second quarter, a tick lower than economists’ expectations. That was the fastest quarterly pace of growth since early...
Canadian confidence is climbing the wall of worry
Canadian confidence is climbing the wall of worry. The Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index stands at 52.81, up from 52.55 four weeks ago and within sight of its twelve-month high of 54.19. The advance is one of expectation rather than experience. Only 13 per cent of Canadians say they are better off than a year ago, while 35 per cent say they are worse off.
Domtar to permanently close pulp mill in Howe Sound, B.C., costing 400 jobs
Another mill is closing in British Columbia, affecting about 400 workers in the industry that has taken a repeated beating from tariffs, global competition and a lack of fibre. Domtar announced Thursday that it is permanently closing its Howe Sound pulp mill along with the Bayview Fibre chipping facility in Port Mellon on B.C.'s Sunshine Coast. Company president Luc Theriault...
A Skills-Based Approach to Career Transitions: Identifying Pathways for Workers and Communities Facing Economic Disruption
Canada’s economy is evolving, which will bring both positive and negative change. But transitions — such as moving toward a low-carbon economy, shifting trade relationships or the rise of AI — can disrupt specific workers in specific places. In some instances, people in affected sectors will keep their jobs or move into new, often similar, roles. But for those who...
Canadians’ anxieties remain stubbornly material but the neighbours are intruding: Jobs/the economy top concern followed by Trump/US.
Jobs and the economy still top the unprompted list of national concerns at 19.6 per cent, easing from 20.6 four weeks ago, while inflation has slipped to 10.1 from 11.6. The mover is Trump and relations with the United States, up to 11.4 per cent from 8.4, now second only to the economy; environment (7.6%), health care (7.5%) and housing...
More confidence, not quite conviction
Canadian economic sentiment has improved modestly, but confidence remains restrained. The Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index moved to 53.38 changing from 51.43 four weeks earlier, driven by both household finances and expectations for the economy and housing market. Canadians remain cautious with more saying the economy is more likely to weaken rather than strengthen, and with Canadians more likely to...
Canadians and economy prove resilient to Trump’s tariff attacks
Canada is staring down the barrel of yet another tariff threat from U.S. President Donald Trump, and pretty much everyone is telling Prime Minister Mark Carney to be super careful about making any more “concessions” to the United States. In this case, pretty much everyone is right. The government has tried making nice with the Trump administration on a string...
Economic sentiment edges to a four week high on stronger expectations.
Canadian consumer confidence was largely unchanged in early August, according to the latest Bloomberg-Nanos Canadian Confidence Index. The index stood at 53.0, compared with 52.65 four weeks earlier and 52.81 the previous week. The reading remains above the neutral threshold of 50, indicating that positive assessments continue to slightly outweigh negative ones.
'Not yet strong': Canada adds surprise 75,000 jobs in July but recovery still ongoing
Canada's job market took a leap toward recovery in July, adding 75,000 jobs, but economists say there's still a long road ahead before the Bank of Canada considers tightening policy. Statistics Canada said on Friday the unemployment rate fell to its lowest level in two years to 6.4 per cent. Economists in a Reuters poll ahead of the release predicted...
New survey shows businesses confident in Carney government’s agenda
KPMG’s study of major players in the country’s economy showed broad support for the Carney government’s agenda, including streamlining approval processes and construction of a new West Coast oil pipeline.
The single biggest household bill draining Canadians’ bank accounts right now
As the affordability crisis and overall inflation continues to impact Canadians across the country, a new national survey from Narrative Research showed 76 per cent said the cost of food and groceries had the biggest impact on their household finances. Forty-seven per cent said gas is also a significant financial pressure, followed by mortgage and rent at 33 per cent...
Canada could add billions to its economy by processing more food. Here's what it's trying
Feds pledging major investments to grow Canada's food processing industry. Inside their demonstration plant in Benmiller, Ont., Martin VanderLoo and Graham Markham are working to prove a point: Canada can generate a big economic boost and strengthen its food sovereignty by processing more food at home. The two men are focused on soybeans, a legume that Canada grows millions of...
Canadian economy grew 0.3% in May, paving way for 2nd-quarter rebound
Canada's economy grew by 0.3 per cent in May, continuing the country's growth for a second straight month and putting the economy on track for a solid second quarter, according to Statistics Canada. The increase topped Statistics Canada's own initial estimate for 0.1 per cent growth in the month. The agency says 13 of 20 industrial sectors — including construction...
Carney Draws Fink, Gray to Exclusive Investing Summit in Toronto
Toronto will be teeming with movie stars in the middle of September as the city holds one of the world’s most prestigious film festivals. This year, the Hollywood types will be joined by some of the biggest names in global finance.
Canadians’ Pessimism About Economy Is Fading Despite Trade War, Poll Says
Canadians are shaking off months of economic pessimism as worries about weak growth and higher energy prices fade. The Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index rose to 52.55 in the week ended July 24, up from the recent trough of 46.31 at the beginning of April. A reading above 50 indicates net positive views.