Canadians across the country mark Remembrance Day
Canadians gathered Monday in cities and towns across the country to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
The Bank of Canada increased its key interest rate by one percentage point Wednesday in the largest hike the country has seen in 24 years.
The move indicates the central bank will take a more aggressive approach to tackling inflation, which sits at a 39-year high of 7.7 per cent and has made groceries, vacations and other purchases more pricey.
The hike to 2.5 per cent will also impact mortgages, loans and spending habits.
Commercial banks and other financial institutions usually raise or lower their mortgage rates in tandem with the Bank of Canada's interest rate hikes.
This means those with variable mortgages will be affected and anyone whose mortgage rate is up for renewal will likely have "sticker shock," said Laurie Campbell, director of client financial wellness at advisement firm Bromwich + Smith.
"It's going to be a situation where a lot of people are going to be rethinking whether they can continue to afford that home," she said.
"We've seen 10 years leading up to this of continued housing increases and the housing market going astronomically insane. Now, it will level off no doubt with these interest increases."
During the COVID-19 pandemic, she saw people tap into their home equity, so some have a traditional mortgage and second mortgage on their property. If there is a correction in the housing market, she fears they could end up owing more on their homes than the property is even worth.
People with variable rate lines of credit, personal loans or car loans are all impacted by interest rate hikes.
"A lot more of their money is going to be going to interest and they probably want to up their payment, if they can, to cover that and make sure they get out of that debt quickly," Campbell said.
That won't be an easy feat for some Canadians. Campbell said she has seen studies saying Canadians have more debt than ever before and for every dollar someone in the country makes they owe an average $1.86.
"Individuals are really going to have to buckle down and figure out how to manage all of this debt," Campbell said.
If you can't pay off your debt and your financial situation isn't set to improve, she recommends seeking help from a licensed insolvency trustee.
Between inflation, supply chain snags, shortages and rising rates, most goods and services are becoming more expensive.
However, as pandemic-related restrictions ease, people are eager to venture out of their homes, gather and partake in favourite past times again.
"My guess is in the short term people will continue to spend because it is summer, people love to be outside and enjoy this time of year," Campbell said.
"However, I say that with caution. I think we're going to see increased debt levels and there will be a reckoning where people have to curb their spending because inflation is really killing us and really making it hard for us to make ends meet."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 13, 2022.
____
What impact will this rate hike have on your life?
Please email us at dotcom@bellmedia.ca with your name, location and contact information. Your comments may be used in a CTVNews.ca story.
Canadians gathered Monday in cities and towns across the country to honour the sacrifice of men and women in uniform who gave their lives in service of the country's values and principles.
Canada has announced changes to their visitor visa policies, effectively ending the automatic issuance of 10-year multiple-entry visas, according to new rules outlined by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada.
U.S. President-elect Donald Trump is naming longtime adviser Stephen Miller, an immigration hard-liner, to be the deputy chief of policy in his new administration.
Toy giant Mattel says it 'deeply' regrets an error on the packaging of its 'Wicked' movie-themed dolls, which mistakenly links toy buyers to a pornographic website.
If Earth's astronomical observatories were to pick up a signal from outer space, it would need an all-hands-on-deck effort to decipher the extraterrestrial message. A father-daughter team of citizen scientists recently deciphered the message. Its meaning, however, remains a mystery.
Business groups are raising concerns about the broad effects of another round of labour disruptions in the transport sector as Canada faces shutdowns at its two biggest ports.
A team of tornado experts is heading to Fergus, Ont. after a storm ripped through the area Sunday night.
Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.
Since the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 Dobbs decision eliminated the federal right to abortion, miscarriage management has become trickier and in some cases, deadlier.
A congestion crisis, a traffic nightmare, or unrelenting gridlock -- whatever you call it, most agree that Toronto has a congestion problem. To alleviate some of the gridlock, the Ontario government has announced it plans to remove bike lanes from three major roadways.
For the second year in a row, the ‘Gift-a-Family’ campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.
Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.
A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.
As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.
A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts – not for themselves, but for those in need.
A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.
Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.
A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.