A Very Ambitious Throne Speech…

General Angela Calla 23 Sep

The Liberal government intends to create thousands of jobs by supporting retrofits of homes and buildings and investing in reducing the impact of climate-related disasters, like floods and wildfires, as part of a modest green agenda announced in the speech from the throne today.

Indicating a plan to build “a more resilient Canada,” the government will “help deliver more transit and active transit options,” the speech stated.

Canada’s 150th speech from the throne was read today in the Senate Chamber by Gov. Gen. Julie Payette with the prime minister at her side. There was no direct mention of significant stimulus infrastructure spending.

The government will immediately bring forward a plan to exceed Canada’s 2030 climate goal, the speech indicated, and the government will also legislate Canada’s goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.

Communities will be supported through investments in “all types of infrastructure, including public transit, energy efficient retrofits, clean energy, rural broadband, and affordable housing, particularly for Indigenous peoples and northern communities.”

To help the economy recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, the Liberals pledged to launch a campaign to create over one million jobs, restoring employment to previous levels. A range of tools will be employed, including direct investments in the social sector and infrastructure, immediate training to “quickly skill up workers,” and incentives for employers to hire and retain workers.

Businesses will also be assisted with an extension of the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy through to next summer.

“The government will work with businesses and labour to ensure the program meets the needs of the health and economic situation as it evolves,” Payette said.

The government also announced an acceleration of the Universal Broadband Fund and said it would be making “substantial investments” in housing.

Payette stated the government will supplement its National Housing Strategy by increasing investments to rapid housing in the short term and partnering with not-for-profits and co-ops in the mid- to long-term. The government will also move forward with enhancements to the First-Time Home Buyer Incentive.

“Construction projects create jobs, and having a home is critical so people can contribute to their communities,” Payette said.

The government also announced a transition of the Canada Emergency Response Benefit program to the Employment Insurance (EI) system.

For people who would not traditionally qualify for EI, the government will create the transitional Canada Recovery Benefit. Over the coming months, the EI system will become the sole delivery mechanism for employment benefits, including for Canadians who did not qualify for EI before the pandemic.

Business supports announced, in addition to extending the wage subsidy, include expanding the Canada Emergency Business Account to help businesses with fixed costs, improving the Business Credit Availability Program, and introducing further support for industries that have been the hardest hit, including travel and tourism, hospitality and cultural industries.

Early reaction included a statement from the Mechanical Contractors Association of Canada (MCAC).

“With today’s Throne Speech, we are optimistic that the federal government has laid the groundwork to work closely with industry in the rebuilding of the Canadian economy,” said Dave Holek, MCAC president. “We are actively reviewing the details from today’s speech, and are working diligently on an action plan to partner on strategic initiatives that will benefit all Canadians.”

The speech was delivered 39 days after Trudeau prorogued parliament.

Read more on the speech from Dr. Sherry Cooper OR from the source here.


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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 604-939-8777.

All you need to know about Mortgage Deferrals

General Angela Calla 10 Sep

OSFI recently announced they are winding down the COVID-19 related relief for deferred mortgage payments. It’s important to note that if you request to defer your mortgage moving forward it may negatively affect your credit.

Here are some questions we answered to help you better understand the process. While it’s not ideal, a mortgage deferral may help you navigate through these challenging times.

What is a mortgage payment “deferral”?
A mortgage payment deferral means that you will not be required to make regular payments on your mortgage (principal and interest) for an agreed-on, temporary amount of time. Once a mortgage deferral period ends, your mortgage payments go back to normal and the missed payments (including principal and accumulated interest) will need to be repaid. For an illustration on how deferrals work click here.

Property tax installments and insurance premiums are entirely separate from this program and must continue to be paid.  If municipalities and insurance companies offer similar programs, they should be contacted separately.

How do I apply for a mortgage payment deferral?
Every lender will have their own application form required to process your deferral. Contact your mortgage broker or lender directly to begin the process.

How do I apply to extend my existing mortgage payment deferral?
If you would like to re-apply to have your existing payment deferral period extended you will have to re-apply for the deferral. This may also negatively effect your credit.

How do I cancel my existing mortgage payment deferral?
If your financial situation has improved (congratulations!), and you would like to cancel your deferred payments (i.e. resume making regular principal and interest payments) contact your lender directly and they will provide you with the cancellation form.

Are the deferred payments erased or cancelled?
The mortgage deferral agreement does not cancel, erase or eliminate the amount owed on your mortgage. At the end of the deferral period, the deferred payments will continue to accrue interest and will be added to the outstanding principal of your mortgage. This can affect the total amount you owe in accordance with your original payment schedule.

What can I expect at the end of my mortgage deferral?
At the end of your mortgage deferral period, the total amount owing on your mortgage will be higher due to the interest that has accrued. Your payment amount will be the same as it was before the deferral period unless it is required to be adjusted to ensure the mortgage maintains the remaining amortization period with the new higher outstanding balance. The amount of all your deferred payments will be added to your mortgage balance when your mortgage renews and paid off during the remaining amortization, or if you pay out your mortgage. You can also contact us after your deferral period and increase your payment amounts/frequency to pay it off during your term if you prefer.

Am I eligible for mortgage payment deferral?
You may be eligible for a mortgage payment deferral if you or another party on title of the mortgage have become unemployed or experience a material reduction in income due to COVID-19. The program is administered on a case-by-case basis to individuals whose mortgages are in good standing.

Should I defer my mortgage payments?
Individuals considering this option should give it careful thought and recognize that the program is designed to alleviate temporary hardship due to the impact of COVID-19 and is not mortgage forgiveness.

The interest, which would otherwise be part of your regular mortgage payments, is added to the outstanding balance of the mortgage. Depending on the current position of your finances, it may be better to continue with your mortgage payments if you are able to do so. However, if you really are in a predicament because of the COVID-19 crisis where the disruption of cash flow is preventing you from making a mortgage payment, a deferral might be your best route.

Can I renegotiate my mortgage terms to while in deferral?
No, the lenders want to see deferrals canceled prior to granting any mortgage approval to change or or increase the mortgage.

Are property taxes and other lender-coordinated payments included in the deferral? 
Under the deferral program, only the mortgage payment (principle and interest) is deferred.  Other payments regularly withdrawn with the mortgage payment by the lender, such as property taxes or life-disability insurance, are not included in the deferral and must continue to be paid. If municipalities and insurance companies offer similar deferral programs, they should be contacted separately.

If I have mortgage arrears/previous missed payments can I still qualify for payment deferral?
Clients with over 90 days arrears may not eligible for the deferral program.

My mortgage is for a rental property, can I qualify for payment deferral?
Rentals will often be handled on a case-by-case basis depending if it is an insured or uninsured mortgage and if true financial hardship can be demonstrated.

If you have tenants that are unable to make payments due to the pandemic we encourage looking into tenant relief programs introduced by some provincial governments. Rental property owners should strongly encourage their tenants who have been financially impacted due to COVID-19 to apply for these programs if available.

No matter what happens in your life journey, we have options to help you. Know we will always be here to help. If any changes arise for you or your loved ones please don’t hesitate to contact us at hello@countoncalla.ca.


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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 604-939-8777.

Interest Rate Update from the Bank of Canada: No Significant Changes

General Angela Calla 9 Sep

The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at the effective lower bound of ¼ percent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly ½ percent and the deposit rate is ¼ percent. The Bank is also continuing its quantitative easing (QE) program, with large-scale asset purchases of at least $5 billion per week of Government of Canada bonds.

Both the global and Canadian economies are evolving broadly in line with the scenario in the July Monetary Policy Report (MPR), with activity bouncing back as countries lift containment measures. The Bank continues to expect this strong reopening phase to be followed by a protracted and uneven recuperation phase, which will be heavily reliant on policy support. The pace of the recovery remains highly dependent on the path of the COVID-19 pandemic and the evolution of social distancing measures required to contain its spread.

The rebound in the United States has been stronger than expected, while economic performance among emerging markets has been more mixed. Global financial conditions have remained accommodative. Although prices for some commodities have firmed, oil prices remain weak.

In Canada, real GDP fell by 11.5 percent (39 percent annualized) in the second quarter, resulting in a decline of just over 13 percent in the first half of the year, largely in line with the Bank’s July MPR central scenario. All components of aggregate demand weakened, as expected.

As the economy reopens, the bounce-back in activity in the third quarter looks to be faster than anticipated in July. Economic activity has been supported by government programs to replace incomes and subsidize wages. Core funding markets are functioning well, and this has led to a decline in the use of the Bank’s short-term liquidity programs. Monetary policy is working to support household spending and business investment by making borrowing more affordable.

Household spending rebounded sharply over the summer, with stronger-than-expected goods consumption and housing activity largely reflecting pent-up demand. There has also been a large but uneven rebound in employment. Exports are recovering in response to strengthening foreign demand, but are still well below pre-pandemic levels. Business confidence and investment remain subdued. While recent data during the reopening phase is encouraging, the Bank continues to expect the recuperation phase to be slow and choppy as the economy copes with ongoing uncertainty and structural challenges.

CPI inflation is close to zero, with downward pressure from energy prices and travel services, and is expected to remain well below target in the near term. Measures of core inflation are between 1.3 percent and 1.9 percent, reflecting the large degree of economic slack, with the core measure most influenced by services prices showing the weakest growth.

As the economy moves from reopening to recuperation, it will continue to require extraordinary monetary policy support. 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. To reinforce this commitment and keep interest rates low across the yield curve, the Bank is continuing its large-scale asset purchase program at the current pace. This QE program will continue until the recovery is well underway and will be calibrated to provide the monetary policy stimulus needed to support the recovery and achieve the inflation objective.

PRESS RELEASE


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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 604-939-8777.

OSFI Changes Rules for Mortgage Deferrals

General Angela Calla 1 Sep

A federal financial regulator announced Monday it is winding down COVID-19-related relief for banks offering deferred mortgage payments, a move the watchdog says comes as lenders are in a better spot to start offering “business-as-usual alternatives” again to cash-strapped customers.

The Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions (OSFI) has allowed federally regulated lenders during the coronavirus pandemic to treat loans on which the payments are being deferred as performing, or still being paid back.

This special treatment, which meant capital requirements for banks wouldn’t rise because of deferrals, was allowed for up to a maximum of six months. However, OSFI said Monday that it is phasing out the special deferral treatment.

“While the special capital treatment and regulatory flexibility related to payment deferrals was warranted at the onset of COVID-19, as both lenders and borrowers adapted to the extraordinary circumstances and unprecedented disruptions related to the pandemic, banks are now in a better position to employ their business-as-usual alternatives to support troubled borrowers,” the regulator said in a letter to banks.

OSFI now says that loans granted payment deferrals before Aug. 31 are still eligible for six months of the special treatment, but those granted after Aug. 30 and on or before Sept. 30 will be eligible for only up to three months. Any deferrals after Sept. 30 will not be eligible, the regulator said.

The tweaks by OSFI come after more than 760,000 Canadians have deferred or skipped a mortgage payment during the pandemic, which is about 16 percent of the number of mortgages in bank portfolios, according to the Canadian Bankers Association.

OSFI’s changes also follow most of Canada’s biggest banks reporting last week better-than-anticipated earnings for their fiscal third quarter. One of the reasons for the improved financial results for the three months ended July 31 was that the lenders set aside less cash for possible loan losses.

There are indications as well that most customers who stop deferring payments will start making them again.

CONTINUE READING


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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 callateam@countoncalla.ca or 604-939-8777.

Things to Consider BEFORE making a Pre-Payment

General Angela Calla 31 Aug

Things to consider prior to making a prepayment

Paying down your mortgage is a smart step that’s always encouraged.
We recommend you first consider the following for your financial well-being as making a lump-sum pre-payment on a mortgage is one sided. Once you’ve made the payment, there are only two ways to get the money back out. Sell or pay an exit fee to refinance.

This is what you should consider prior to a lump-sum payment:

1- Do you have any debts at an interest rate higher than your mortgage you can use the money for instead to stop paying unnecessary interest?

2- Do you have six months of living expenses set aside so you don’t have to acquire debt if something comes up?

3- Have you topped up your RRSPs or RESP if applicable to take advantage of any government matching programs or tax advantages that can result in an income tax refund?

4- Are you looking at doing any home renovations, new vehicle purchase or job changes in the next while?

5. Are you considering making another property purchase in the next while (as you will need a deposit handy in cash)

If all the above are covered, that’s awesome and congratulations in having this capital to pay down your largest debt! All lenders have different pre-payment terms and timing in which they allow. The goal is to get the most flexible mortgage initially, and we can help. This is the reason when The Angela Calla Mortgage Team sets up a mortgage initially, we start with the minimum payment, while other increases are happening separately once we have a strategy in place. If you decide to execute a pay down strategy with periodic payments, we can cancel that at any time with no costs. There is always a reason behind “why” we ask what we ask and “why” we set things up as we do initially with the end result being the lowest cost of borrowing and best wealth strategy being the result. Remember- check your statements. Even with confirmation a task has been complete, we are not the ones physically processing the payments and technology is not perfect. The borrower is ultimately responsible to ensure there strategies are carried out!


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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 callateam@countoncalla.ca or 604-939-8777.

Canadian Housing Market Very Strong in July

General Angela Calla 24 Aug

Today’s release of July housing data by the Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) showed a blockbuster July with both sales and new listings hitting their highest levels in 40 years of data. This continues the rebound in housing that began three months ago.

National home sales rose 26% month-over-month (m-o-m) in July, which translates to a 30.5% gain from a year ago (see chart below). July’s sales activity was the strongest for any month in history. According to Shaun Cathcart, CREA’s Senior Economist,  “A big part of what we’re seeing right now is the snapback in activity that would have otherwise happened earlier this year. Recall that before the lockdowns, we were heading into the tightest spring market in almost 20 years. Things may have gone quiet for a few months, but ultimately the market we’re seeing right now is mostly the same one we were heading into back in March. That said, there are some new factors at play as well. There are listings that will come to the market because of COVID-19, but many properties are also not being listed right now due to the virus, as evidenced by inventories that are currently at a 16-year low. Some purchases will no doubt be delayed, but the new-found importance of home, lack of a daily commute for many, a desire for more outdoor and personal space, room for a home office, etc. will certainly also spur activity that otherwise would not have happened in a non-COVID-19 world.”

For the third month in a row, transactions were up on a month-over-month basis across the country. Among Canada’s largest markets, sales rose by 49.5% in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), 43.9% in Greater Vancouver, 39.1% in Montreal, 36.6% in the Fraser Valley, 31.8% in Hamilton-Burlington, 28.7% in Ottawa, 16.9% in London and St. Thomas, 15.7% in Calgary, 12.1% in Winnipeg, 9.7% in Edmonton and 5.4% in Quebec City.

New ListingsThe number of newly listed homes climbed by another 7.6% in July compared to June, to a level of 71,879–the highest level for any July in history. New supply was only up in about 60% of local markets, as the rebound in supply appears to be tapering off in many parts of the country. The national increase in July was dominated by gains in the GTA. More supply is expected to come on the market in future months, particularly once a vaccine is widely available.

With the ongoing rebound in sales activity now far outpacing the recovery in new supply, the national sales-to-new listings ratio tightened to 73.9% in July compared to 63.1% posted in June. It was one of the highest levels on record for this measure, behind just a few months back in late 2001 and early 2002.

Based on a comparison of sales-to-new listings ratios with long-term averages, only about a third of all local markets were in balanced market territory, measured as being within one standard deviation of their long-term average, in July 2020. The other two-thirds of markets were all above long-term norms, in many cases well above.

The number of months of inventory is another important measure of the balance between sales and the supply of listings. It represents how long it would take to liquidate current inventories at the current rate of sales activity.

Housing markets are very tight, especially in Ontario, as demand has far outpaced supply. There were just 2.8 months of inventory on a national basis at the end of July 2020 – the lowest reading on record for this measure. At the local market level, a number of Ontario markets shifted from months of inventory to weeks of inventory in July.

Home Prices

The Aggregate Composite MLS® Home Price Index (MLS® HPI) jumped by 2.3% m-o-m in July 2020 – the second largest increase on record (after March 2017) going back 15 years. (see Table below). Of the 20 markets currently tracked by the index, they all posted m-o-m increases in July.The biggest m-o-m gains, in the range of 3%, were recorded in the GTA outside of the city of Toronto, Guelph, Ottawa and Montreal; although, generally speaking, most markets east of Saskatchewan are seeing prices accelerate in line with strong sales numbers. Price gains were more modestly positive in B.C. and Alberta.

The non-seasonally adjusted Aggregate Composite MLS® HPI was up 7.4% on a y-o-y basis in July the biggest gain since late 2017.

The MLS® HPI provides the best way to gauge price trends because averages are strongly distorted by changes in the mix of sales activity from one month to the next.

The actual (not seasonally adjusted) national average price for homes sold in July 2020 was a record $571,500, up 14.3% from the same month last year.

The national average price is heavily influenced by sales in the Greater Vancouver and the GTA, two of Canada’s most active and expensive housing markets. Excluding these two markets from calculations cuts around $117,000 from the national average price. The extent to which sales continue to fluctuate in these two markets relative to others could have further compositional effects on the national average price, both up and down.

 

Bottom Line

CMHC has recently forecast that national average sales prices will fall 9%-to-18% in 2020 and not return to yearend-2019 levels until as late as 2022. I continue to believe that this forecast is overly pessimistic. Here we are in the second half of 2020, and the national average sales price has risen 14.3% year-over-year.

The good news is that the housing market is contributing to the recovery in economic activity. While the course of the virus is uncertain, Canada’s government has handled the COVID-19 situation very well from both a public health and a fiscal and monetary perspective. The future course of the economy here will depend on the virus. While no one knows what that will be, suffice it to say that Canada’s economy is en route to a full recovery, but it may well be a long and bumpy one.


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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 callateam@countoncalla.ca or 604-939-8777.

 

Chrystia Freeland replaces Bill Morneau to become first female finance minister

General Angela Calla 20 Aug

Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland has taken on a major new role: finance minister.

In a physically distant ceremony at Rideau Hall on Tuesday, Freeland removed her face mask briefly to take the oath of office and become the country’s new minister of finance before replacing the mask to bump elbows with both Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Gov. General Julie Payette, also masked.

Veteran Liberal Dominic LeBlanc was also sworn in to take over the intergovernmental affairs portfolio.

The mini-cabinet shuffle follows the resignation Monday night of Bill Morneau after reports of a rift between him and Trudeau over the best course forward on the economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.

​Freeland was asked on Tuesday to share whether she has had disagreements with the prime minister and how they handled those, and to reflect on what it means to be the first woman in the role.

“It’s actually something we talked about yesterday and we reflected, I think with good humour, on a few of the issues we have disagreed on. I’m actually not going to catalog those,” she said.

“My motto has been to have open, candid conversations with the prime minister in private but also to have a united front when we come out in public … that’s a really, really important part of any working relationship.”

On being the first female finance minister, Freeland said: “It’s about time that we broke that glass ceiling.”

“This particular economic challenge our country is facing, the economic challenge created by the coronavirus is hitting women particularly hard. It’s hitting mothers particularly hard,” she continued.

“Certainly I’m glad that I’ll have an opportunity as a woman, as a mother, to address this really important challenge our country is facing.”

Morneau had been under fire over his role in the WE Charity scandal, particularly his failure to recuse himself from cabinet discussions on the group given his family financial ties.

READ MORE and watch the Global News clip HERE


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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 callateam@countoncalla.ca or 604-939-8777.

More homes were sold in Canada in July than in any month in history

General Angela Calla 18 Aug

Vancouver sales increased 44 per cent on the month and 24 per cent from July 2019.

Canadian home sales surged to a record in July as homebuyers emerged from lockdowns.

Transactions for existing properties reached 62,355 in the month, up 26 per cent from a month earlier, the Canadian Real Estate Association reported. Benchmark prices were 2.3 per cent higher on the month, as pent-up demand for homes collided with extremely low inventory levels.

More homes were sold in Canada in July than in any month in history… And, let me tell you, it sure felt like it!! Mortgage rates are at all-time historical lows, home owners are discovering that their current homes aren’t big enough, separations 😢 – all of these seemed to drive a flurry of sales activity.

Also, with rates so low, we saw many people refinancing and transferring their mortgages. What a summer… what a year! And we’re only in August.

It will be interesting, to say the least, to see what the rest of the year brings for the real estate and mortgage market.

Stay tuned! You know we’ll always keep you updated.

READ MORE HERE


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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 callateam@countoncalla.ca or 604-939-8777.

Canada Finance Minister, Bill Morneau, Resigns

General Angela Calla 18 Aug

Canada’s finance minister resigned on Monday amid friction with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau over spending policies and after coming under fire for his ties to a charity tapped to run a student grant program.

Bill Morneau said he would not run for parliament again and would instead seek to become the next secretary general of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Just last week, Trudeau had expressed confidence in his finance minister as rumors swirled of a rift between the two men. Morneau, 57, has been in the job since Trudeau’s Liberals took power in 2015.

“This morning I went to the prime minister and I tendered my resignation,” Morneau told reporters at a hastily arranged news conference on Monday evening.

“It’s appropriate that the prime minister finds someone with a longer-term approach for the role since I’m not running for office,” he added.

Morneau’s Toronto seat, a mix of low-income flats and million dollar homes that the party has held since 1993, is unlikely to be at risk for the Liberals, who have a minority government.

One front-runner to replace Morneau is Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland, a close Trudeau ally, who has held several high-profile cabinet roles.

Morneau and his team have pushed back against other cabinet ministers about how much pandemic funding was needed, including to what extent the post-lockdown recovery could be helped by investing in environmental projects, sources told Reuters on Sunday.

Trudeau, who campaigned on a platform to tackle climate change, believes the 2021 budget should have an ambitious environmental element to start weaning the heavily oil-dependent economy off fossil fuels and he recently hired former Bank of England Governor Mark Carney as an informal adviser, aides say.

Canada’s budget deficit is forecast to hit C$343.2 billion ($253.4 billion), the largest shortfall since World War Two, this fiscal year. Total coronavirus support is nearly 14% of gross domestic product.

The Canadian dollar showed little reaction to the news.

“We had a little bit of a sell-the-rumour type weakness in the lead up to the resignation,” said Ray Attrill, head of forex strategy at National Australia Bank in Sydney. “There doesn’t seem to be any suggestion at this stage that this any broader implications for the Canadian government.”

Other possible replacements for the key post include Foreign Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne and President of Canada’s Treasury Board Jean-Yves Duclos.

In a statement, Trudeau thanked Morneau for his service over the past five years and said he would “vigorously support” Morneau’s bid to head the OECD.

OECD nominations are due by October. The United States plans to nominate deputy White House chief of staff Christopher Liddell for the secretary general job, a senior U.S. official said last month.

Adding to Morneau’s challenges, several cabinet members were upset when he disclosed he had forgotten to repay travel expenses covered for him by a charity at the heart of an ethics probe. Morneau and Trudeau are both facing ethics inquiries related to the charity.

Morneau’s resignation “is further proof of a government in chaos,” Conservative Party leader Andrew Scheer said on Twitter, adding the “government is so consumed by scandal that Trudeau has amputated his right hand to try and save himself.”

The clash reflected concerns among business leaders that Ottawa had little apparent interest in the economy, sources told Reuters.

Business and analysts have also fretted about Ottawa becoming distracted by the discord as it tackles the coronavirus crisis.

“I doubt you’ll be seeing other finance ministers around the world step down at this time of elevated economic and fiscal uncertainty,” said David Rosenberg, chief economist at Rosenberg Research & Associates.

“It’s like a boxer being forced to take his gloves off in the fifth round.”

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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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 callateam@countoncalla.ca or 604-939-8777.

Repayment Plan Framework Released – Landlord BC

General Angela Calla 18 Aug

In an announcement on August 14 the Provincial Government released the full details on the Residential Tenancy Branch’s Repayment Plan framework. This announcement brings with it a significant change to the timing of the end date of the moratorium on ending tenancy for unpaid rent. It was previously announced that this would end when the Provincial State of Emergency is lifted, the updated regulations have changed this to a fixed date; August 17. LandlordBC fully supports this change as it removes the significant uncertainty surrounding the previously announced framework.

The changes are part of an update to the Residential Tenancy Regulations which set out a clear process landlords must follow to address rent due but unpaid between March 18th through to August 17. The updated regulations also provide guidance regarding late fees and rent increases.

Unpaid Rent and/or Utilities from March 18 to August 17, 2020

Please Note: Do not serve the repayment plan until August 18th. Use the RTB Repayment Plan form. 


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 Access Youth Outreach services, a local charity in our community supporting our youth.

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. 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 callateam@countoncalla.ca or 604-939-8777.