Should Deposit Insurance Be Raised from $100,000?

The Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation’s (CDIC) deposit protection is automatically applied when investors deposit money with a member bank or credit unions.  The object is to protect depositors should a bank fail.  The good news?  There has not been a deposit insurance payout in almost 30 years.  But now the framework is under review and both advisors and their clients may wish to weigh in, in particular because the deposit insurance limit is currently only $100,000 in specific deposit categories. 

Bank of Canada raised its benchmark interest rate to 1.5 percent (up from 1.25 percent) as anticipated, in an announcement from Governor Stephen Poloz this morning.

Canadians spend anywhere from $4.7 to $8 Billion on cross-border shopping and if you spent the July long weekend looking for bargains in the U.S. you may have had an unpleasant surprise:  despite the loonie holding some ground against US currency, a new 10% surtax on certain consumer goods came into effective July 1, when if you exceeded your exemption limit.

Despite all the doom and gloom reported lately, Canada’s economy is actually growing. All signs point to an increase in Bank of Canada rates later today, as a new Labour Force Study from Statistics Canada indicates that for the month of June, the country’s labour force increased with the creation of 31,800 new jobs. The report also cites increasing self-employment levels.

Succession planning hinges on sound leadership development and astute forward-thinking, but there are also legal factors to consider. This week, Philippe Richer, author of Knowledge Bureau’s new Business Law certificate course in the Executive Business Builder Program, shares some important legal considerations for transitioning or selling your business. Philippe will also join us as a special guest lecturer at the new Business Builder Retreat.

Did you know that 1,212,075 new immigrants permanently settled in Canada from 2011 to 2016, representing 3.5 percent of Canada’s total population in 2016? Tax and financial advisors have a great opportunity to help with the financial affairs of these families, especially because the tax rules are somewhat different for these residents.

In January, a new mortgage stress test was put in place requiring Canadian home buyers to qualify at rates higher than the benchmark interest rates imposed by the Bank of Canada and individual lenders. The implications to Canadian debt levels and the housing market are factors advisors should consider when offering holistic advice to clients.