Automatic tax filing could see Canadians get billions in unclaimed benefits: PBO – National

Rolling out an automatic tax filing system would mean Canadians receive more than a billion dollars each year in currently unclaimed benefits from not filing their tax returns, according to the federal fiscal watchdog. The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) published a report Thursday looking into the impact of automated tax filing from the Canada Revenue […]

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OSFI sees mortgage stress test ‘imbalance’ at renewal but rules not changing yet – National

Canada’s banking regulator conceded to members of Parliament that there’s an “imbalance” in how the mortgage stress test is applied for some homeowners renewing their terms, but stood by the practice. Peter Routledge, the Superintendent of Financial Institutions, spoke to the standing committee on finance Tuesday. His office, OSFI, is in charge of applying the […]

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3 months after Fintrac hack, experts say Canada missing out on financial intelligence – National

A critical reporting tool used by Canada’s anti-money-laundering watchdog has been offline for three months creating an intelligence gap that experts say could hamper criminal or national security investigations. A cyber incident, identified on March 2, forced the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada, also known as Fintrac, to shut down its web […]

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TD Bank gets ‘negative’ outlook downgrade amid money-laundering probes – National

Descrease article font size Increase article font size Fitch revised the outlook on Toronto-Dominion Bank’s credit ratings to “negative” from “stable” on Tuesday, citing risks to its business from the anti-money laundering probes it is facing. The rating revision marks the latest headache from the investigations that have led to the termination of some employees […]

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Should Canadian bank customers, investors worry about money laundering probes? – National

Ongoing anti-money laundering probes at TD Bank and penalties levied at other Canadian financial institutions aren’t likely to have a material impact on banking customers, experts say, though the regulatory crackdown could have implications for investors and the banking sector long-term. TD faces a regulatory probe in the United States on allegations that Chinese drug […]

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Housing affordability just improved in Canada – mostly in these expensive cities – National

A “trifecta” of conditions in Canada’s housing market last quarter translated into the biggest improvement in affordability since 2019, National Bank of Canada said Thursday. The institution’s Housing Affordability Monitor showed “widespread” improvement in each of the 10 largest markets it tracks. National Bank gauges housing affordability by tracking the mortgage payment as a percentage […]

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CRTC grants Canadian content spending relief for Corus, but says other asks must wait – National

Canada’s broadcasting regulator has granted Corus Entertainment Inc.’s request to ease some of its Canadian content spending requirements after the company warned of an increasingly dire financial situation. The CRTC released a decision Monday approving Corus’ plea to lower its obligated spending on programs of national interest for its English-language stations to five per cent […]

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Fintrac fines crypto exchange Binance Holdings $6M – National

The federal anti-money laundering agency has issued a $6-million fine to cryptocurrency exchange company Binance Holdings Ltd. Fintrac says Binance failed to register with the agency as a foreign money services business. It also says the company failed to report large virtual currency transactions of $10,000 or more in the course of a single transaction, together with the prescribed […]

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Trans Mountain pipeline expansion will boost Canadian oil prices ‘for years’: MEG Energy

The recently completed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion will boost Canadian oil prices for “years” to come, an executive with oilsands producer MEG Energy Corp. said Tuesday. “It is great for industry and Canada to have that tremendous asset available,” said MEG’s vice-president of marketing Erik Alson during a conference call with analysts to discuss the […]

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How caregiving impacts a generation of Canadians: ‘Unpaid work does not end’ – National

A series of demographic forces reshaping Canada has left many adult Canadians “sandwiched” between unpaid caregiving responsibilities for the generations coming before and after them. Marci Gray, a Brampton, Ont. resident, feels that particular sandwich through more layers than most. The CEO and lead psychotherapist at Gray Matter Health has three growing children of her […]

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Nearly 60% of retirees are supporting adult children financially, survey finds – National

The majority of Canadian retirees are supporting their adult children financially, which they say is having a negative impact on their own finances, a new report has found. According to Fidelity Investments Canada’s annual retirement report for 2024, 59 per cent of retirees report helping their non-student adult children with both day-to-day expenses and big-ticket […]

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Capital gains changes are ‘really fair,’ Freeland says, as doctors cry foul – National

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland are continuing to defend the 2024 federal budget’s proposed changes to capital gains taxes, which some medical professionals are claiming could affect recruitment and retention of physicians in Canada. Doctors and medical associations have been raising red flags about the proposed changes tabled last week in […]

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What is a halal mortgage? How interest-free home financing works in Canada – National

The federal government is looking at making Islamic home financing increasingly accessible to help more Canadians break into the housing market. As part of the 2024 federal budget that was released last week, Ottawa said it is “exploring new measures to expand access to alternative financing products, like halal mortgages.” Last month, the federal government started consulting […]

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Budget 2024: Liberals look to offset drug plan cost with higher smoking, vaping taxes – National

The federal government expects that its latest effort to discourage Canadians from smoking, contained in the federal budget tabled Tuesday, will generate $1.7 billion in new revenue. That increased cash flow happens to coincide with the launch of a new $1.5-billion drug plan offering universal coverage for contraceptive and diabetes medications. Both programs were billed as new […]

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Anti-money laundering watchdog gives failing grades to banks, real estate companies – National

An internal report from Canada’s financial crimes watchdog found that most banking and real estate companies it audited last year are not following the country’s anti-money laundering laws, sparking calls for greater oversight and higher fines. The 2022/2023 report, prepared by the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FinTRAC), found that only 106 […]

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30-year amortizations will only impact a ‘sliver’ of the housing market: BMO – National

The Liberal government’s plan to allow some first-time homebuyers to stretch their mortgage amortizations to 30 years will only improve affordability for a “sliver” of the housing market, according to a BMO economist. Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland announced Thursday that Ottawa would allow first-time buyers to take out an insured mortgage amortized over 30 years, […]

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CRA’s handling of bare trust reporting rules needs ‘systemic review,’ MP says – National

A Conservative MP is calling on the taxpayers’ ombudsperson to conduct a “systemic review” of the Canada Revenue Agency‘s recent handling of bare trust reporting requirements. Adam Chambers, the Member of Parliament for Simcoe North, said in a letter to François Boileau’s office Monday that he wants an examination of “a lack of procedural fairness,” as […]

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Quebec Tim Hortons franchisees sue brand owner for almost $19M

Several Quebec Tim Hortons franchisees are taking the brand’s owner to court, blaming what they describe as unreasonable constraints in the company’s licensing agreements for lower-than-expected profits. In a lawsuit filed in Quebec Superior Court on Thursday, 16 companies with Tim Hortons franchise licences allege the TDL Group Corp.’s contracts “place it in a position of absolute dominance” over their combined […]

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Flair Airlines is now Canada’s lone low-cost carrier. Can it rise to the moment?

The recent demise of Lynx Air leaves Flair Airlines alone holding the banner for ultra-low-cost carriers in the Canadian airspace. Heading into the busy summer travel season when airlines make much of their money, some experts say travellers booking tickets across Canada will have to weigh cheap airfare against the reputational and financial uncertainty dogging […]

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Affordability issues are ‘casting a shadow’ over young Canadians’ economic futures – National

Canadians are at risk of missing key financial milestones, particularly achieving the dream of homeownership — amid what Statistics Canada sees as a series of affordability challenges staring down the youngest generations. “Barriers to important life cycle milestones and transitions have intensified in Canada,” the agency said in a report released Wednesday. “Sustained food inflation, […]

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Rental construction across Canada hit ‘record levels’ in 2023: CMHC – National

The construction of purpose-built rentals and condominiums hit “record levels” in 2023, data from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation released on Wednesday shows. According to the CMHC’s Spring 2024 Housing Supply Report, purpose-built rental construction in six major markets combined to hit record levels in 2023. Rentals also accounted for a historically high average […]

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Drop the mortgage stress test at renewal, competition watchdog urges Ottawa – National

Canada’s competition watchdog is urging Ottawa to drop requirements for some borrowers to pass the mortgage stress test at renewal, arguing it limits Canadians’ abilities to shop around for a better rate. The Competition Bureau issued a report Thursday afternoon examining concentration in Canada’s financial sector and how a lack of competition impacts affordability for […]

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Budget 2024 should have ‘substantial’ measures to tackle housing, minister says – National

Canada’s federal budget, due next month, is likely to allocate billions of dollars for investing in building homes and low cost housing programs, Housing Minister Sean Fraser said on Monday. Canada faces a housing affordability crisis as a rapidly increasing immigrant population has far outpaced the number of available homes. Stubbornly high inflation and interest […]

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40% of Canadian industries ‘highly vulnerable’ to supply shocks: StatCan – National

Forty per cent of Canadian industries are “highly vulnerable” to external demand and supply shocks, Statistics Canada says. The federal statistic agency said on Friday those industries, which account for 25 per cent of Canada’s economic output, are exposed to risks in global supply chains. “Manufacturers and firms that imported goods from abroad have identified […]

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Vet bills have soared in Canada. Is pet insurance worth the cost? – National

With the cost of living through the roof, Canadian pet owners are also grappling with soaring veterinary bills that can sometimes put them in a “life-and-death situation.” Most people in Canada don’t have pet insurance. Pet insurance can help mitigate “astronomical” costs, especially in the case of emergencies, said Rebecca Greenstein, chief veterinarian and practice […]

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Job seekers could soon face an ’employer’s market’ as unemployment rate rises – National

Canada’s employers are still hiring, but not enough to keep the unemployment rate from rising amid a rapidly growing population, Statistics Canada said Friday. Experts say Canadian job seekers could be entering an “employer’s market” this spring as a slowing economy and growing labour pool means workers are losing some leverage. StatCan said 41,000 net […]

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‘Lack of awareness’ of safety guidelines at Boeing: FAA report – National

Boeing is not as committed to safety as it claims it is, an FAA report concluded. An investigation by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration “observed documentation, survey responses, and employee interviews that did not provide objective evidence of a foundational commitment to safety that matched Boeing’s descriptions of that objective.” The agency launched the investigation […]

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Nvidia’s stock soars as chip maker leaves ‘no doubt’ of AI boom – National

Nvidia on Wednesday forecast a roughly threefold surge in quarterly revenue that handily beat estimates as the company banked on towering demand for its industry-leading artificial-intelligence chips, sending its shares higher. Nvidia’s stock was up nearly 11 per cent in early trading Thursday. The already-hefty demand for the company’s data center chips and graphics processing […]

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Nvidia’s stock surge helps markets hit record highs. What is happening? – National

Nvidia, the chipmaker underpinning a much-hyped artificial intelligence revolution, saw its market capitalization briefly pass US$2 trillion for the first time on Friday amid a record-breaking week for Wall Street. Nvidia’s stock traded as high as US$823.94 per share on the tech-heavy NASDAQ Friday before closing lower at US$788.17, up marginally from Thursday’s close. Shares […]

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