Housing Continued to Surge in February

General Angela Calla 16 Mar

Today the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) released statistics showing national home sales hit another all-time high in February 2021. Canadian home sales increased a whopping 6.6% month-on-month (m-o-m), building on the largest winter housing boom in history. On a year-over-year (y-o-y) basis, existing home sales surged an amazing 39.2%. As the chart below shows, February’s activity blew out all previous records for the month. 

The seasonally adjusted activity was running at an annualized pace of 783,636 units in February. CREA’s revised forecast for 2021 is in the neighborhood of 700,000 home sales. Strong demand notwithstanding, sales may be hard-pressed to maintain current activity levels in the traditionally busier spring months absent a surge of much-needed new supply. However, that could materialize as current COVID restrictions are increasingly eased and the weather starts to improve.

The month-over-month increase in national sales activity from January to February was led by the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) and several other Ontario markets, along with Calgary and some markets in B.C. These offset a considerable decline in Montreal’s sales, where new listings have started 2021 at lower levels compared to those recorded in the second half of last year.

In line with heightened activity since last summer, it was a new record for February by a considerable margin (over 13,000 transactions). For the eighth straight month, sales activity was up in the vast majority of Canadian housing markets compared to the same month the previous year. Among the eight markets that posted year-over-year sales declines in February, minimal supply at the moment is the most likely explanation.

“We are right at the start of the first undisturbed (by policy or lockdown) spring housing market in years, and we also have the most extreme demand-supply imbalance ever by a large margin. So, the question is, what is going on? I think part of it is the demand that built up due to regulatory changes in the years leading up to COVID that is playing out now. Part of it is the demand that is being pulled forward from the future either in search of a home base to ride out the pandemic or to lock down a purchase amid rapidly rising prices while securing a record low mortgage rate,” said Shaun Cathcart, CREA’s Senior Economist. “But maybe the biggest factor here is the emergence of existing owners with major equity, prompted by the great shake-up that is COVID-19 to pull up stakes and move. First-time buyers, which we have a lot of, are now having to compete with that as well.”

 

 

New Listings

The number of newly listed homes rebounded by 15.7% in February, recovering all the ground lost to the drop recorded in January. With sales-to-new listings ratios historically elevated at the moment, indicating almost everything that becomes available is selling, it was not surprising that many of the markets where new supply bounced back in February were the same markets where sales increased that month.

With the rebound in new supply outpacing the gain in sales in February, the national sales-to-new listings ratio came off the boil slightly to reach 84% compared to the record 91.2% posted in January. That said, the February reading came in as the second-highest on record. The long-term average for the national sales-to-new listings ratio is 54.4%.

Based on a comparison of sales-to-new listings ratio with long-term averages, only about 15% of all local markets were in balanced market territory in February, measured as being within one standard deviation of their long-term average. The other 85% of markets were above long-term norms, in many cases well above. The first two months of 2021 and the second half of 2020 have seen record numbers of markets in seller’s market territory. For reference, the pre-COVID record of only around 55% of all markets in seller’s territory was set back at the beginning of 2002.

There were only 1.8 months of inventory on a national basis at the end of February 2021 – the lowest reading on record for this measure. The long-term average for this measure is a little over five months. At the local market level, some 40 Ontario markets were under one month of inventory at the end of February.

Home Prices

The Aggregate Composite MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) jumped by 3.3% m-o-m in February 2021 – a record-setting increase. Of the 40 markets now tracked by the index, all but one were up on a m-o-m basis.

The non-seasonally adjusted Aggregate Composite MLS® HPI was up 17.3% on a y-o-y basis in February – the biggest gain since April 2017 and close to the highest on record.

The largest y-o-y gains – above 35% range – were recorded in the Lakelands region of Ontario cottage country, Tillsonburg District and Woodstock-Ingersoll.

Y-o-y price increases in the 30-35% were seen in Barrie, Niagara, Bancroft and Area, Grey-Bruce Owen Sound, Kawartha Lakes, London & St. Thomas, North Bay, Northumberland Hills, Quinte & District, Simcoe & District and Southern Georgian Bay.

This was followed by y-o-y price gains in the range of 25-30% in Hamilton, Guelph, Cambridge, Brantford, Huron Perth, Kitchener-Waterloo, Peterborough and the Kawarthas and Greater Moncton.

Prices were up in the range from 20-25% compared to last February in Oakville-Milton and Ottawa, 18.8% in Montreal, 16.1% in Chilliwack, in the 10-15% range on Vancouver Island, the Fraser Valley and Okanagan Valley, Winnipeg, the GTA, Mississauga and Quebec, the 5-10% range in Greater Vancouver, Victoria, Regina and Saskatoon, in the 3.5% range in Calgary and Edmonton, and 2.6% in St. John’s.

Bottom Line

We all know why the housing boom is happening:

  • Employment in higher-paying industries has actually risen despite the pandemic, supporting incomes among potential homebuyers.
  • Mortgage rates plumbed record lows and, while they’re backing up now, they’re still below pre-COVID levels, while many buyers are likely still on pre-approvals with rates locked in.
  • There’s been a dramatic shift in preferences toward more space, further outside major urban centres (commuting requirements are down and probably assumed to remain down).
  • Limited travel has created historic demand for second (recreational) properties, and households have equity in existing properties to tap.
  • Younger households are likely pulling forward moves that would have otherwise happened in the years ahead.
  • There has to be some FOMO and speculative activity in the market at this point. In January, 6% of all houses listed for sale in Toronto’s suburbs had been bought in the previous 12 months, up from 4% a year earlier, according to brokerage Realosophy.

On the flip side, there is precious little supply to meet that demand, at least in segments that the market wants.

In a separate release, Canadian housing starts pulled back to 245,900 annualized units in February, a still-high level following a near-record print in the prior month. This is not a winter wonder. Starts on a twelve-month average basis are running at 227k annualized, the strongest such pace since 2008, and over the past six months, starts are averaging 242k, the highest since at least 1990. Both single- and multi-unit starts declined in the month, as did all provinces but British Columbia.

For more on this article, including a detailed table with home prices by region, please view the article here.


Angela Calla is a 17-year award-winning woman of influence which sets her apart from the rest. She is without a doubt, a true expert in her field. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. Through her presence on “The Mortgage Show” and through her best-selling book “The Mortgage Code, Angela educates prospective home buyers by providing vital information on mortgages. 

In August of 2020, at the young age of 37, Angela surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgages. In light of this, her success awarded her with the 2020Business Leader of the Year Award.

Angela is a frequent go-to source for media and publishers across the country. For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or at 604-802-3983.

Click  here to view the latest news on our blog. 

Team Banner housing market

What the Increase in Fixed Interest Rates Mean for You

General Angela Calla 3 Mar

Fixed Rates and Variable Rates follow different economic indicators. Fixed Rates are based on the bond market where we are presently seeing notable increases (approx. 12 dollars per 100k of mortgage amount with recent changes). The Bank of Canada is watching the housing market closely. While they don’t intend to raise the rates, it is important to make your decisions with caution, as the circumstances change.

For those in the purchase market, pre-approvals are prudent. Rising rates will likely trigger more housing activity in the near-term. This means those thinking of buying might move off the sidelines, pushing prices higher over the first half of this year.

There is NO reason to panic! Rates are still around 2% and it does not change any of your qualifications. This is because they are based on the 4.79% benchmark rate. Furthermore, there is no current changes in variable rates.

Again, even though there is no reason to panic, below are some key considerations we want you to think about!

If you are shopping for a home

Get a full pre-approval (verification of credit, income and down payment) and stay in communication with your provider on your progress. Rate holds range from 90-120 days and some specials are only available for LIVE purchases. In addition, an accepted offer in place within the time frame of your pre-app is required.

If you have a renewal upcoming in the next year

Time to secure an option, in the event rates continue to rise it may be better to renew early.

If you have debt outside your mortgage

Whether it’s debt from credit cards, lines of credit, loans, or required funds for renovation, it’s pressing that you review your status. This will help to ensure that you qualify to include these things into a new mortgage. By doing so, you will likely save more money every month and improve your cashflow to grow your wealth while rates are still exceptionally low.

If you or a loved one have mortgage questions, a mortgage renewal upcoming, need access to your equity, please reach out to us directly by responding to this email or calling (604)-802-3983 and we are happy to help.


Angela Calla is a 17-year award-winning woman of influence which sets her apart from the rest. She is without a doubt, a true expert in her field. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. Through her presence on “The Mortgage Show” and through her best-selling book “The Mortgage Code, Angela educates prospective home buyers by providing vital information on mortgages. 

In August of 2020, at the young age of 37, Angela surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgages. In light of this, her success awarded her with the 2020Business Leader of the Year Award.

Angela is a frequent go-to source for media and publishers across the country. For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or at 604-802-3983.

Click  here to view the latest news on our blog. 

Team Banner fixed rates variable rates

 

Interest Rates & Commodity Prices Surge on Economic Rebound Optism

General Angela Calla 26 Feb

Canadian 5-year Bond Yield Surges 

In an unprecedented move, bond yields are spiking around the world. Yields globally are now at levels last seen before the coronavirus spread worldwide. At the same time, commodity prices are surging, including energy, metals and minerals, agricultural products and lumber. The Biden administration’s $1.9 trillion stimulus package is has triggered fears that if the US economy returns to full employment too quickly, inflation might be the result.

Central banks have attempted to soothe markets, with European Central Bank chief economist Philip Lane saying the institution can buy bonds flexibly. Fed Chair Jerome Powell called the recent run-up in yields “a statement of confidence” in the economic outlook. Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem told us earlier this week that it’s a long road to recovery for the Canadian economy. The Bank of Canada will continue to provide support every step of the way. Many Bay Street economists took this to mean that he reinforced the BoC’s commitment to keeping the policy rate at its effective lower bound of 25 bps until sometime in 2023.

These global developments have sideswiped Canada. On Tuesday, I warned that the 5-year government bond yield had risen 27 bps to 0.69% since the beginning of this month, shown in the first chart below. This morning, the rise has become exponential, hitting 1.00%, shown in the second chart and blown up to full size in the single chart below.

 

 

 

Keep in mind that Canada’s economy has considerable slack with unemployment rising in recent months and the lockdown continuing for at least a couple more weeks in the GTA. Moreover, Canada has fallen far behind other countries in the vaccine rollout. But there is no denying that pent-up demand in Canada is high. Not only have home sales been breaking records, but auto sales and anything housing-related–such as Home Depot earning growth–have skyrocketed.

Savings rates are high, and the big banks have reported a surge in deposit growth as consumers squirrel away those savings. Remember, the Roaring Twenties was a response to the 1918 Pandemic, more than anything else.

The CRB commodity price index, shown below, is on a tear, and the gains are in every sector except gold and orange juice. That means that new home construction costs are also rising, as home sales remain well above listings.

Bottom Line

It’s time to lock-in mortgage rates. For those in the market, preapprovals are prudent. Rising rates will likely trigger more housing activity in the near-term as those thinking of buying might move off the sidelines, pushing prices higher over the first half of this year.

The surge in interest rates would undoubtedly stall or reverse if we see a third wave of new variant Covid cases in advance of a full rollout of the vaccines in Canada. However, there is enough monetary and fiscal stimulus in global markets, and oil prices are expected to continue to rally sufficiently that an ultimate rise in interest rates cannot be far off. This is indicated by the loonie moving to a near a 3-year high.

Read the full article here by Dr. Sherry Cooper


Angela Calla is a 17-year award-winning woman of influence which sets her apart from the rest. She is without a doubt, a true expert in her field. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. Through her presence on “The Mortgage Show” and through her best-selling book “The Mortgage Code, Angela educates prospective home buyers by providing vital information on mortgages. 

In August of 2020, at the young age of 37, Angela surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgages. In light of this, her success awarded her with the 2020Business Leader of the Year Award.

Angela is a frequent go-to source for media and publishers across the country. For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or at 604-802-3983.

Click  here to view the latest news on our blog. 

Team Banner Interest Rates & Commodity Prices Surge

Fixed Interest Rates on the Rise | Cause for Concern?

General Angela Calla 26 Feb

Fixed rates and variable rates follow different economic indicators, fixed rates are based on the bond market and this is were we are presently seeing notable increases. The Bank of Canada is watching the housing market closely. While they don’t intend to raise the rates, it is important to make your decisions with caution, as the circumstances change.

Bottom Line.

It’s time to lock-in mortgage rates. For those in the market, pre-approvals are prudent. Rising rates will likely trigger more housing activity in the near-term. This is because those thinking of buying might move off the sidelines pushing prices higher.

If you are shopping for a home?

Get a full pre-approval  (verification of credit, income and down payment) and stay in communication with your provider on your progress. Rates holds ranges from 90-120 days and some specials are only available for LIVE purchases with an accepted offer in place within the time frame of your pre-app.

If you have a renewal upcoming in the next year?

Time to secure an option, in the event rates continue to rise it may be better to renew early.

If you have debt outside your mortgage?

Such as credit cards, lines of credit or loans or require funds for a renovation, its prudent to review if you qualify to include that into a new mortgage to save money monthly and improve your cashflow to grow your wealth while rates are still very low.

With the dollar moving to a near 3-year high, we see places where this indication is present. The surge in interest rates would undoubtedly stall or reverse if a third wave of new variant COVID-19 cases occur. However, there is enough monetary and fiscal stimulus in global markets. A rise in interest rates will not be far especially with sustained rallying oil prices.

We’re here for you!

If you or a loved one have mortgage questions, a mortgage renewal upcoming, or need access to your equity, please reach out to us directly by reaching out by calling 604-802-3983 or via e-mail at hello@countoncalla.ca and we are happy to help.

For more information on this, please follow this link to Dr. Sherry Cooper’s site.


Angela Calla is a 17-year award-winning woman of influence which sets her apart from the rest. She is without a doubt, a true expert in her field. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. Through her presence on “The Mortgage Show” and through her best-selling book “The Mortgage Code, Angela educates prospective home buyers by providing vital information on mortgages. 

In August of 2020, at the young age of 37, Angela surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgages. In light of this, her success awarded her with the 2020Business Leader of the Year Award.

Angela is a frequent go-to source for media and publishers across the country. For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or at 604-802-3983.

Click  here to view the latest news on our blog. 

Team Banner housing market

How Can Fluctuating Interest Rates Affect My Mortgage?

General Angela Calla 24 Feb

There’s a lot you need to know when navigating the world of mortgages. If you’re not careful, it’s quite easy to get tripped up in the lingo, the procedures, and the payments (Not to mention the penalties). This is especially true for fluctuating interest rates.

As is the case with most things in life, when it comes to locking in your mortgage interest rates, timing is everything.

How Can Fluctuating Interest Rates Affect My Mortgage?

Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock throughout the COVID pandemic (no judgement here), you’ve likely noticed a lot of attention being paid to interest rates over the past 12 months.

Back in mid-July, Bank of Canada Governor Tiff Macklem held a press conference in which he pledged that the Bank’s overnight lending rate of 0.25% would hold until the country’s inflation rate returns to its 2% target and achieves sustainably. That ‘hold’ could end up being years long.

As a result, homebuyers are enjoying access to historically-low interest rates that can easily translate into savings over hundreds of dollars per mortgage payment and thousands, if not tens of thousands, over longer fixed-terms.

So, what does all this mortgage interest rate movement mean for you? Well, that depends.

Fixed Rate Mortgages

Historically, fixed mortgage interest rates have always tended to drop slowly but increase quickly. Traditionally, when fixed rates went up, it was normally a quick occurrence and one that came without much warning to the everyday borrower, as lenders set rates based upon the commercial bond market. Looking back just to 24 months ago, client mortgages in early 2019 were getting locked in five-year fixed rates at 3.79% — and those were considered competitive rates.

In the last year, however, since COVID and the resulting economic fallout (see: precipitous drop in interest rates), home buyers have found fixed mortgage interest rates are now hovering around 2% on the same five-year fixed basis.

On a $500,000 mortgage, the difference between a five-year fixed at 3.79% and 2% would — as it looks — cut the interest portion of monthly payments nearly in half. (In this example, the total difference between these two rates in interest payments on a mortgage over a five-year term is just shy of $45,000.)

In other words, fixating on getting the right rate for your fixed-rate mortgage can result in a massive amount of savings over the next half-decade.

Variable Rate Mortgages 

Unlike fixed-rate mortgages, variable-rate mortgages move up and down according to the Bank of Canada rate. Variable-rate mortgages (also known as adjustable-rate mortgages) are quoted relative to a lender’s prime lending rate, which takes guidance from the Bank of Canada rate.

If you have a fixed-rate mortgage, you do not have to worry about the fluctuations until your term ends and you need to re-sign for another term. If you have a variable-rate mortgage, however, you should expect some ups and downs during your mortgage term — especially in turbulent economic times.

Given how low fixed-rate mortgage rates have dropped over the past 12 months, there isn’t much benefit to accepting the risk a variable-rate product carries with it. Which is to say, if you can lock in for five-years at the rate of inflation (or lower!), the security of doing so far outweighs the possible upside a variable-rate could offer you by going a few tenths of a point lower.

As such, we recommend fixed mortgage rate solutions throughout the current COVID climate.

Read the full article on Toronto Storeys


Angela Calla is a 17-year award-winning woman of influence which sets her apart from the rest. She is without a doubt, a true expert in her field. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. Through her presence on “The Mortgage Show” and through her best-selling book “The Mortgage Code, Angela educates prospective home buyers by providing vital information on mortgages. 

In August of 2020, at the young age of 37, Angela surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgages. In light of this, her success awarded her with the 2020Business Leader of the Year Award.

Angela is a frequent go-to source for media and publishers across the country. For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or at 604-802-3983.

Click  here to view the latest news on our blog. 

Team Banner housing market

 

Mortgage Renewal | More than just signing the dotted line.

General Angela Calla 24 Feb

Choosing the right type and term for your mortgage renewal will go a long way in helping you build and protect your wealth.

When it’s time to renew, there are more options to you than just getting a rate and signing it off. It’s possible for you to access your home’s equity. However, you either have to pay a penalty to get out of it, or sell your home.

Working with a mortgage professional we can help guide you through these questions you should consider as your renewal approaches.

  1. Names on title: Are your relationships the same? Is there a guarantor to be removed?
  2. What are your future plans: Are you thinking of selling and moving up the property ladder?
  3. Income: Is your income consistent? Are you going on maternity leave, or is there new opportunity that will impact your cashflow?
  4. Mortgage type: What type of mortgage do you have? Total equity package, reverse, fixed and variable are some types.
  5. Future purchases: Avoid costly outside debt at higher rates that impact cashflow ( car, reno, loans, debt repayment)
  6. Tax Grants: Will you be making any renovations or deposits to a registered account improve your wealth beyond your mortgage?
  7. Emergency funds: If something unforeseen were to come up, like we all experienced together with the pandemic, do you have 6 months of an emergency fund to access?

Starting the conversation and connecting the dots on all those levels will help you avoid costly mistakes that can impact your cashflow, upset family life, or cause unnecessary financial stress.

If you or someone you care most about has questions about how to get the best mortgage renewal for their life stage, consult with us to get unbiased advise. Reach out to us at hello@countoncalla.ca and we’ll be happy to help you explore your options!


Angela Calla is a 17-year award-winning woman of influence which sets her apart from the rest. She is without a doubt, a true expert in her field. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. Through her presence on “The Mortgage Show” and through her best-selling book “The Mortgage Code, Angela educates prospective home buyers by providing vital information on mortgages. 

In August of 2020, at the young age of 37, Angela surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgages. In light of this, her success awarded her with the 2020Business Leader of the Year Award.

Angela is a frequent go-to source for media and publishers across the country. For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or at 604-802-3983.

Click  here to view the latest news on our blog. 

Team Banner housing market

 

Employees’ claims of sales pressure spark shareholder lawsuit against TD Bank

General Angela Calla 17 Feb

Bank says lawsuit is baseless and denies widespread culture of pressure-cooker sales

A class-action lawsuit against TD Bank alleges employees were pressured to drive up profits by selling customers services and products that were unsuitable or unnecessary.

A TD Bank teller who spoke out about the pressure to sell customers products and services they didn’t need says she feels vindicated a class-action lawsuit is now underway, shining a light on those allegedly unethical practices.

“It makes me know that I did the right thing, coming forward,” she told Go Public, after learning about the lawsuit.

She says she and her colleagues were pressured to make unnecessary sales in order to earn revenue for the bank — and to hold onto their jobs.

The class action was certified by a Quebec judge in April 2019, but TD only submitted its statement of defence earlier this week. The statement strongly denies the allegations of a widespread, unethical sales culture and says the lawsuit should be dismissed.

The teller was one of three TD employees who contacted Go Public in 2017, alleging relentless pressure to meet sales targets by doing things like signing up customers for credit cards, adding overdraft protection to customers’ accounts or moving them into more expensive chequing accounts.

“Speaking out felt like it was the only option we had at the time,” she said. CBC News is not naming her because she could lose her job.

These three TD Bank employees touched off a firestorm of reaction across the country when they spoke out about ‘incredible pressure’ to meet ‘unrealistic’ sales goals in March 2017. (CBC)

After the teller and her colleagues spoke out, hundreds of other current and former TD employees contacted Go Public with similar stories. They said they too felt pressured to behave unethically in order to meet sales targets and hold onto their jobs. In some cases, they even admitted to breaking the law to do it.

TD’s statement of defence calls the CBC News stories “vague, unsubstantiated” and “unverifiable.”

The legal action doesn’t come from TD customers who may have been upsold or misled.

Following Go Public’s reporting in March 2017, shares in Toronto-Dominion Bank posted their biggest loss since 2009 — plunging more than 5.5 per cent.

The lawsuit has been filed under the Quebec Securities Act and claims investors purchased TD stock based on “false and misleading statements” from TD Bank. Shareholders say they were not aware of the alleged internal pressure to sell products and services at any cost.

“This class action is not a direct hit on the practice of pressure selling, it’s indirect,” said Jasminka Kalajdzic, associate professor at University of Windsor’s faculty of law and the author of two books about class actions. “Investors are saying they wouldn’t have bought the stock if they’d known about the pressure to sell.”

‘TD was essentially profiting’  

The lead plaintiff works for Turn8 Partners, a Montreal-area portfolio management company. According to court documents, he purchased TD securities for an investment fund.

The documents say he was unaware of what is described in the originating application as TD’s “pressure selling program” and therefore acquired the securities at artificially inflated prices.

“We are arguing that TD said one thing and did another,” said Shawn Faguy, a Quebec lawyer who launched the suit and is representing the plaintiffs.

The court documents also show that TD spoke about delivering “a legendary customer experience” while being recognized as “an extraordinary place to work,” guided by ethics policies “that meet the highest standards of integrity, professionalism, and ethical behaviour.”

But, Faguy says, “at the end of the day, we argue TD was essentially profiting as much as it could off of its clients. And ultimately it created a work environment which put an extreme amount of pressure on its employees.”

In its defence, TD argues that those claims are untrue and points to numerous customer service awards the bank has received over many years, including ranking “highest in customer satisfaction among the big five retail banks,” in 2015 for the tenth consecutive year, according to the J.D. Power Canadian Retail Banking Customer Satisfaction Study.

TD further notes that its been repeatedly recognized for its workplace culture, noting that, in 2017, for the eighth consecutive year, it was “recognized as one of Canada’s best employers,” according to Aon Hewitt, a human resources consulting firm.

‘Unethical, illegal and predatory’

The thrust of Faguy’s argument is fuelled by several key TD documents included in the court file.

Of particular note is one released Dec. 3, 2015, which featured the financial performance of its Canadian retail business segment. Faguy says that document should have disclosed that the increase in retail revenue was driven by what he argues was “an unethical, illegal and predatory” employee sales target system.

“This clearly contains a misrepresentation,” said Faguy. “We say anyone who would have bought the stock after that period of time bought it with an artificially inflated price because of that misrepresentation.”

Because of that document — released to explain how TD recently performed, its financial condition and future prospects — the class action represents anyone who purchased TD securities between Dec. 3, 2015 and March 9, 2017, the day before TD’s stock value plunged.

It does not, however, cover stock traded on a U.S. exchange, which was part of a U.S. class action, which settled for over $13 million US.

Systemic problem?

Kalajdzic says the challenge in this class action will be to prove the alleged wrongdoing was widespread.

TD “can’t be faulted for whatever individual employees did,” she said. “Plaintiffs are going to have to show this was a bank-wide policy of making employees sell products that were not appropriate to customers.”

Faguy says that won’t be hard.

“It’s not like there is one branch in Montreal or one branch in Vancouver or one branch in Toronto where this was going on,” he said. “The sales revenue practices seem to be a systemic practice that was set up to try to drive revenue within the company across the country.”

In its statement of defence, TD argues it is “inconceivable” any unethical practices were systemic, pointing out that TD had over 81,000 employees engaging in Canadian retail activities at almost 1,200 branches in 2015.

After the initial Go Public stories, emails flooded in from employees of TD, Royal Bank of Canada, Bank of Montreal, CIBC and Scotiabank, describing pressure to hit sales targets that were monitored weekly, daily and in some cases hourly.

All five banks said in statements to Go Public that they act in the best interest of their clients and that employees are expected to follow codes of conduct.

The reports at the time prompted the banking regulator, the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada (FCAC), to launch a review of sales practices at Canada’s big banks.

It found that a sharp focus on sales may be increasing the risk of “mis-selling” to consumers — defined as selling products or services that may be unsuitable, that don’t take consumers’ needs into “reasonable” account or that involve incomplete or misleading information.

However, the FCAC’s review did not find mis-selling to be widespread, which TD points out in its class-action defence.

As for the first TD teller who spoke out, she says she’s grateful TD’s sales culture, and the alleged harm she says it caused, will be under scrutiny.

“Nothing will ever change,” she said, “if acknowledgement of bad behavior isn’t addressed or punished.”

CBC News


Angela Calla is a 17-year award-winning woman of influence which sets her apart from the rest. She is without a doubt, a true expert in her field. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. Through her presence on “The Mortgage Show” and through her best-selling book “The Mortgage Code, Angela educates prospective home buyers by providing vital information on mortgages. 

In August of 2020, at the young age of 37, Angela surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgages. In light of this, her success awarded her with the 2020Business Leader of the Year Award.

Angela is a frequent go-to source for media and publishers across the country. For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or at 604-802-3983.

Click  here to view the latest news on our blog. 

Team Banner housing market

Port Coquitlam mortgage expert, Angela Calla, named Business Leader of the Year!

General Angela Calla 2 Feb

The Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce handed out its business excellence awards last Saturday, naming Angela Calla of the Port Coquitlam-based company, The Angela Calla Mortgage Team, as the top business leader for 2020.

Mortgage expert Angela Calla was named the Business Leader of the Year at last weekend’s gala honouring the best businesses and entrepreneurs in the Tri-Cities.

Calla, who leads The Angela Calla Mortgage Team, took the award for her work last year, at an online event hosted by Michael Hind of the Tri-Cities Chamber of Commerce.

The prize was previously won by Ryan Peterson of Finger Food Advanced Technology.

Butter Studios took the Business of the Year (1-10 employees) accolade while Ballistic Arts Media Studios won the Business of the Year (11-30 employees) and Rocky Point Ice Cream scooped the Business of the Year (30-plus employees) title.

The Not-For-Profit award was handed to the Immigrant Link Centre Society — a volunteer group launched in 2016 with the aim to prevent food waste — and Malik Malikzada of Jamila’s Kitchen and Grill took the Community Spirit award for their No Money, No Worries food program that he and his wife, Jamila, began in 2017; that program expanded in 2020 to include first responders and front line workers as well.

Meanwhile, Jessica Morrison of Squish Juicery was named the Tri-Cities’ Young Professional of the Year and Fulfill Shoppe won the Environmental Steward accolade for their online refill shop and their aim to reduce plastic and packaging waste.

Finally, the business resiliency awards — a new category in response to the pandemic — went to Legends Haul Supply and Novo Textiles while Chris Chong of Butter Studios was named the Chamber Member of the Year.

“As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, Chris continued to navigate the uncertain landscape by learning new skills and supporting the hardest-hit businesses in our backyard,” according to a Tri-CIties Chamber of Commerce statement. “Developing his filming and editing skills, Chris created short promotional videos for Tri-Cities retailers that were severely impacted by the pandemic. He also launched a fundraising campaign for an organization near and dear to his heart with the ‘Balance’ toilet paper print.”

Via TriCity News By: Janis Cleugh


Angela Calla is a 16-year award-winning woman of influence and mortgage expert. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. She educates and empowers individuals on the “The Mortgage Show”, which she’s hosted for over a decade, and is the best-selling author of The Mortgage Code available on Amazon. All proceeds from her book sales are donated to the YWCA helping empower women and children in our community. Additionally, in August of 2020, she surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgage volume at the young age of 37.

Angela leads by example with passion and conviction. She is known as an industry expert on TV and radio and the go-to source for publishers across the Country. She has even been known to sing the national anthem at sporting events! On top of all her achievements, Angela finds the time to be a loving wife and mother of two beautiful children.

For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or 604-802-3983.

 

TD customers in several provinces hit with fraudulent DoorDash debit charges

General Angela Calla 29 Jan

TD and DoorDash say they’re working to reimburse victims’ missing money.

When Karen Lee got hit with $157 in DoorDash charges to her TD debit card in late December, she knew immediately she was a victim of fraud.

“I don’t have a DoorDash account and I never heard of them,” said Lee, who lives in French Creek, a small community on Vancouver Island. “I feel violated.”

DoorDash, a food delivery service that has grown in popularity during the COVID-19 pandemic, doesn’t serve Lee’s region. Even so, Lee said when she went to her local TD Canada Trust branch to deal with the issue, she met other customers who said they were victims of the same fraud.

“[A customer] said, ‘Well, that’s what I’m here for.’ And then the lady behind him said the same thing.”

It’s unclear who is behind the scam, which isn’t confined to one region. CBC News interviewed six TD customers from three different provinces who said they were victims of unauthorized DoorDash debit card charges. Each person said they don’t have a DoorDash account and have never used the service.

Following the publication of this story, dozens more people contacted CBC News to say that they, too, had been targeted by the scam.

A common complaint among those who said they were victims was that they experienced long waits — often around a month or longer — to get their money back.

Lee said she got reimbursed on Tuesday — a month after she reported the fraud.

“It’s too long,” she said. “I’m a pensioner. You know, you’re having a limited income.”

Pamela Kinsman of Guelph, Ont., said she’s still waiting for her refund after discovering two fraudulent debit card transactions totalling $195 charged to the TD account she shares with her husband. She said she reported the issue to the bank on Jan. 9.

“It was very upsetting and unnerving,” Kinsman said in an interview. “I guess they do have to do a long investigation, but I think they should trust … the customers.”

Debit cards no longer just for ATMs

Over the years, banks have enhanced their debit cards so customers can use them not only to withdraw cash at an ATM, but also to make online purchases, much like a credit card.

That feature makes debit cards similarly vulnerable to cyber fraud, said Toronto-based cybersecurity expert Ritesh Kotak.

He said fraudsters can sometimes infiltrate a person’s debit card through nefarious methods such as mail theft, phishing emails or even a simple phone scam.

“We’ve seen people just calling up and saying, ‘Hey, can you verify your information or verify your account?’ And sometimes we end up giving up the information.”

Another problem is that, unlike with credit cards, debit card transactions withdraw money from your bank account. That means if you get a fraudulent charge, you’re out of pocket until the matter is resolved.

“That’s the tragedy here is that you are out your money, your hard-earned money,” said Kotak. “The bank is going to investigate the fraud. However, if anyone’s ever called a bank, you can be on hold for a long time.… It could take 10 days, it could take longer for that money to come back.”

TD and DoorDash respond

TD told CBC News that it investigated the fraudulent charges and that the issue has been resolved.

“Over an isolated period, a small percentage of TD Debit cardholders experienced fraudulent activity incurring unauthorized charges from a single merchant,” TD spokesperson Samantha Grant said in an email. TD has more than 13.5 million customers across Canada.

DoorDash said it’s working closely with TD “to help support and facilitate reimbursements.”

Grant blamed any delays the affected customers have experienced on “COVID-19 and related lockdown measures [which] have resulted in higher call volumes and longer than normal wait times.”

“We apologize for any inconvenience and are working hard to support customers, including bringing in additional resources,” she said.

Neither TD nor DoorDash offered an explanation as to how the fraud happened, but TD did suggest the pandemic and the shift to online shopping has had an impact on such scams.

“As we’ve seen customers migrate to online channels, we’ve seen fraudsters do the same,” said Grant.

This isn’t the first time TD has dealt with this type of scam. In 2019, CBC News reported that dozens of TD debit card users said they got hit with fraudulent charges from Spotify, a music streaming service.

At the time, the bank said “a very limited” number of cardholders were affected.

TD said this week it has security measures in place to help protect customers, and as fraudsters develop new tactics, the bank adjusts its safeguards accordingly.

How can customers protect themselves?

Typically, bank customers caught up in a debit card scam will be reimbursed if it’s determined someone fraudulently used their account.

Kotak said one way to guard against fraudulent charges is to ask your bank to block your debit card’s online purchasing feature by setting the card’s limit for online transactions to zero.

Lee did just that after discovering her two DoorDash charges. “It’s just for withdrawals and deposits. I don’t use [a] debit card for purchases anyway,” she said.

Kotak says when people receive debit cards, they should be able to choose whether they want the online purchase option turned on.

“If I want that feature, let me call into the bank,” he said. “Don’t auto-enrol people.”

READ THE FULL ARTICLE HERE


Angela Calla is a 17-year award-winning woman of influence which sets her apart from the rest. She is without a doubt, a true expert in her field. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. Through her presence on “The Mortgage Show” and through her best-selling book “The Mortgage Code, Angela educates prospective home buyers by providing vital information on mortgages. 

In August of 2020, at the young age of 37, Angela surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgages. In light of this, her success awarded her with the 2020Business Leader of the Year Award.

Angela is a frequent go-to source for media and publishers across the country. For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or at 604-802-3983.

Click  here to view the latest news on our blog. 

Team Banner housing market

Bank of Canada Still Expects No Rate Increases Until 2023 – Dr. Sherry Cooper

General Angela Calla 22 Jan

The Bank of Canada, this morning, released its January Monetary Policy Report (MPR), showing they expect to keep overnight interest rates at its “effective lower bound” of 0.25% until 2023. To reinforce this commitment and keep interest rates low across the yield curve, the Bank will continue its Quantitative Easing (QE) program–buying $4 billion of Government of Canada bonds every week until the recovery is well underway. The central bank indicated it could pare purchases once the recovery regains its footing.

According to the Bank’s press release, “The Governing Council will hold the policy interest rate at the effective lower bound until economic slack is absorbed so that the 2 percent inflation target is sustainably achieved. In our projection, this does not happen until into 2023.” Officials are apparently optimistic about the economy’s prospects once the vaccine is sufficiently distributed and injected. There is no indication that they are planning additional measures to ease monetary policy.

This is particularly noteworthy for two reasons: 1) some economists had been speculating that the Bank would lower the overnight rate by 10-to-15 basis points to help mitigate the impact of continued and broadening lockdowns; and, 2) others thought the early development of the vaccine would trigger sufficient growth to warrant a rate hike in 2022. In the Bank’s current view, neither is likely to be the case. Why mess with a minute cut in already record-low interest rates when mortgage lending is still strong? The slow rollout of the vaccine and the mounting second wave of cases assure weak economic activity in Canada at least until the second half of this year.

As well, inflation remains surprisingly muted. In a separate release today, Stats Canada revealed that price pressures in Canada unexpectedly slowed in December as the country endured a new wave of lockdowns. After climbing to the highest since the pandemic in November, the latest reading shows price pressures are still well below the Bank of Canada’s 2% target. That’s consistent with the view from policymakers that inflation will remain subdued for some time.

The pandemic’s second wave has hit Canada very hard, and the vaccine rollout has been disappointing. Today’s MPR predicts that the economy will contract in the first quarter of this year. Economic weakness could be exacerbated by the Canadian dollar’s strength, which moved to above 79 cents US following today’s BoC announcement. Ten-year yields edged up modestly as well.

Bottom Line

For the year as a whole, economic growth is expected to be around 4% in 2021, compared to a contraction of -5.5% last year. As the inoculated population grows, the Bank forecasts an acceleration in growth to just under 5% in 2022 and a more-normal 2.5% in 2023. According to the January MPR, “The medium-term outlook is stronger than in the October Report because of vaccines’ positive effects, greater fiscal stimulus, stronger foreign demand and higher commodity prices. Meanwhile, potential output has also been revised up, reflecting an improved projection for business investment and less scarring effects on businesses and workers. There is considerable uncertainty around the medium-term outlook for GDP and the path for potential output. Thus, while the output gap is expected to close in 2023, the timing is particularly uncertain.”

Concerning housing activity, the report said, “Demand for housing has continued to show resilience, despite increasing case numbers and tightening restrictions. Housing activity should remain elevated into the start of 2021, supported by low borrowing rates and resilient disposable incomes. Changes in homebuyers’ preferences have also played a role. For example, price growth has been strongest for single-family homes and in areas outside city centres”. 


Angela Calla is a 17-year award-winning woman of influence which sets her apart from the rest. She is without a doubt, a true expert in her field. Alongside her team, Angela passionately assists mortgage holders in acquiring the best possible mortgage. Through her presence on “The Mortgage Show” and through her best-selling book “The Mortgage Code, Angela educates prospective home buyers by providing vital information on mortgages. 

In August of 2020, at the young age of 37, Angela surpassed $1 Billion dollars in funded personal mortgages. In light of this, her success awarded her with the 2020Business Leader of the Year Award.

Angela is a frequent go-to source for media and publishers across the country. For media interviews, speaking inquiries, or personal mortgage assistance, please contact Angela at hello@countoncalla.ca or at 604-802-3983.

Click  here to view the latest news on our blog. 

Team Banner housing market