Commentaries

The last time you were out shopping, you may have noticed that the packaging for some of your favourite items were a tad smaller. Or that the price of what you used to buy is now more than the last time you were shopping? We are all familiar with inflation, the rising of prices, or…… Continue reading How Many Smarties Are in a Box?

Like a bad memory we’d like to block out, many Canadians ignore or even scoff at the question of what their retirement will look like. For some, it is in the distant future, but for many, it is right around the corner.  More than 21.8% of the working population is close to retirement. This means…… Continue reading Your Golden Years: Will They Be a Boom or Bust?

Statistics Canada released their weekly Local Business Conditions Index (RTLBCI) covering the week ending April 11, 2022 and it shows that business conditions in Calgary and Edmonton are on the rise. From January 3, 2022 to April 11, 2022, Calgary’s RTLBCI has increased from 164.97 to 239.36, while Edmonton’s has also increased from 214.65 to…… Continue reading Weathervaning Local Business Conditions

The Alberta government stopped collecting the fuel tax at the beginning of April in an effort to provide “real relief” to Albertans impacted by rising fuel and inflationary costs. The tax cut saves motorists up to $0.13/L on gasoline and diesel but reduces the provincial revenues by approximately $1.3B (nearly 3% of provincial revenues).  For…… Continue reading Betting on WTI is a Short-term Strings Attached Solution

Consumers usually realize fairly quickly just how important the manufacturing sector is when they stare at empty shelves while shopping. In some cases being confronted with an empty shelf can lead to hysteria and panic leading to irrational behaviour. Generally, most consumers, pre-pandemic, never really had much cause to be concerned about how the Canadian…… Continue reading How Did COVID-19 Impact the Canadian Manufacturing Sector?

The International Transactions in Securities monthly report covers transactions in stocks, bonds, and money market securities between non-residents and residents of Canada. The report covers both Canadian and foreign issues in equity and investment fund shares and debt securities. Equity and investment fund shares include common and preferred shares and shares of investment funds. Debt…… Continue reading How Long Will Investor Confidence Last?

Continued low-interest rates by the Bank of Canada, escalating housing prices in all major metropolitan areas, and continued increasing demand for housing has made perfect conditions to drive investment in building construction. Since the depths of the great shutdown due to COVID-19 (March 2020), investment into building construction has been on a sharp return. Current…… Continue reading Location, Location, Location … Investment In Building Construction

Over half of all employed Canadians (52.7%) are working in occupations that value and require active learning skills. “Active learning” involves having the ability to understand the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. There is now a notable increase in the proportion of workers employed in a variety of…… Continue reading Are Your Occupational Skills Up to Muster?