Episode 23: Hamza Khan – What Makes a Leader?

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Today’s leaders are being tested. From emerging technology and shifting employee values to uncertainty introduced by the pandemic, the workplace is changing. And leaders are changing with it. So, what does it mean to be a leader today? And how do we prepare for tomorrow? On Episode 23 of REAL TIME, global speaker and author Hamza Khan shares his unique perspective on the future of work. Learn how leaders can take care of their teams, businesses, and themselves – and how REALTORS® can be seen as leaders in their field.

Episode 22: Wes Hall – The Art of Negotiation

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Whether it’s our salaries or family dinners, negotiating is part of daily life. For REALTORS®, it’s fundamental to their business. On Episode 22 of REAL TIME, we’re joined by Wes Hall, one of North America’s most influential business leaders, to wrap up the year with some practical knowledge and inspiring stories. Wes shares his journey from humble beginnings in Jamaica to Bay Street in Toronto, and how negotiation was foundational to his success. As the newest dragon on Dragons’ Den, he also shares tips for staying grounded as an entrepreneur. From knowing your audience to knowing your worth, gain insight to help build your skills as a negotiator and an advisor.

Episode 21: Dr. Naheed Dosani – Approaching Homelessness from a Place of Empathy

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During the first year of his family medicine residency, Dr. Naheed Dosani experienced a devastating and life-changing event: one of his patients passed away. That patient, Terry, had lived on the streets for 15 years, had terminal cancer, and was repeatedly refused access to proper palliative care. It was too little too late. Deeply affected by Terry’s loss, Dr. Dosani realized that while we all have equal access to healthcare in Canada, it doesn’t mean we have equitable access. And so he pledged to inspire change. To complement REALTORS Care® Week 2021, we join Dr. Dosani to gain a front-line perspective of the inequities facing homeless, poor, and vulnerably-housed Canadians. We look at housing as a healthcare issue, how we can cure it through policy, and how we can tap into our own vulnerability to ensure no one has to fall through the cracks.

Episode 18: Heather Bayer – The Evolution of Canadian Vacation Properties

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Vacation properties have been around for decades, but their popularity has sky-rocketed over the last few years. What’s driving that trend, and how is it changing the current market? Heather Bayer, co-founder of Vacation Rental Formula, joins us for a deep dive into the dos and don’ts of vacation property investment, how the sharing economy has affected the way vacation rental businesses operate, and the responsibilities all owners have to their guests and neighbours. From helping your clients find their own vacation property, to what the next year may hold, Episode 18 of REAL TIME is a must-listen for the latest trends and insights.

Episode 16: Dr. Winny Shen – Building a Healthy Professional Mindset

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From career uncertainty to work-life balance to interpersonal conflict, there’s no shortage of challenges facing today’s professionals. In Episode 16 of REAL TIME, we explore the latest thinking in industrial and organizational psychology to help professionals set themselves up for success. Discover an insightful conversation with Dr. Winny Shen, Associate Professor of Organization Studies at York University, as she shares techniques for REALTORS® – and all professionals – to gain a mental edge by better managing stress, strengthening their work relationships, embracing mentorship opportunities, and more.

Episode 15: Nikki Greenberg – Technology and the Future of Real Estate

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From autonomous vehicles to on-demand everything, technology has woven itself into the fabric of our lives. But what about its impact on the real estate industry? And, more importantly, what’s next? In Episode 15 of REAL TIME, futurist and real estate thought leader Nikki Greenberg explains the breakthroughs and benefits of a rapidly evolving trend: property tech. Learn what prop-tech is, its potential to modernize residential and commercial development, and how it’s redefining the ways in which we interact with our homes, office spaces, and more.

Bank of Canada keeps rates on hold, oil sector continues to weigh on economy

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Thu, 12/03/2015

The Bank of Canada announced on December 2nd, 2015 that it was keeping its trend-setting target overnight lending rate at 0.5 per cent.

The Bank of Canada announced on December 2nd, 2015 that it was keeping its trend-setting target overnight lending rate at 0.5 per cent.

Helped by interest rate cuts earlier this year, the Canadian economy rebounded in the third quarter of 2015 from two previous consecutive quarters of negative economic growth. However, the Bank expects “[economic] growth to moderate in the fourth quarter of 2015 before moving to a rate above potential in 2016.”

The Bank’s latest Monetary Policy Report published in October pegged the rate of potential Canadian economic growth in 2016 somewhere in the range 1.4% to 2.2% and forecast economic growth above that starting in the second quarter of 2016. Time will tell whether the Bank will need to further downgrade the outlook for economic growth, as it has repeatedly in recent years.

Economic growth and inflation outlooks are crucial to the timing for when the Bank will begin to raise interest rates.

In recent months, Canadian economic growth has gained strength in non-resource sectors, which are getting a boost from a weaker Canada-U.S. currency exchange rate. By contrast, resource and their supporting industries continue to face major headwinds, with oil-producing regions contending with weak oil prices, lower investment and job layoffs.

Headline inflation continues to trend near the bottom of the Bank’s target range of between 1 and 3 per cent due to persistently low oil prices. Core inflation (which strips out the most volatile price components of overall inflation) remains on target. Below the surface, the inflationary impact of the lower Canadian dollar is being offset by a growing disinflationary gap between actual and potential economic growth.

Based on the Bank’s current forecast for economic growth and inflation, financial markets are currently betting that the Bank of Canada will keep interest rates on hold throughout 2016.

As of December 2nd, 2015, the advertised five-year lending rate stood at 4.64 per cent, unchanged from the previous Bank rate announcement on October 21st, and down 0.15 percentage points from one year ago.

The next interest rate announcement will be on January 20th 2016, with the next update to the Monetary Policy Report released on the same date.

(CREA 2/12/2015)

Bank of Canada cuts rate

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Thu, 07/16/2015 – 13:30

The Bank of Canada announced on July 15th, 2015 that it was lowering its trend-setting target overnight lending rate from 0.75 per cent to 0.50 per cent. The move follows another cut of the same size in January.

The Bank of Canada announced on July 15th, 2015 that it was lowering its trend-setting target overnight lending rate from 0.75 per cent to 0.50 per cent. The move follows another cut of the same size in January.

The Bank indicated that it expects the Canadian economy shrank modestly in the first half of the year but has begun to rebound and will gain steam. While its decision to lower interest rates is aimed at supporting business investment and exports, revisions to the Bank’s economic forecast also indicate that lower interest rates will also boost consumer spending and housing activity.

The Bank of Canada also pared back its inflation outlook due to a number of factors which are unlikely to reverse themselves in the near future. That means short-term interest rates are almost certain to remain on hold this year and over 2016.

Recall that when the Bank of Canada previously cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point in January, Canada’s largest private banks lowered their lending rates by less than that. The same will likely hold true this time around. Accordingly, the Bank of Canada’s most recent interest rate cut is unlikely to cause consumer borrowing and mortgage lending to catch fire, especially given the currently high level of household debt.

The bottom line has shifted from “lower for longer” to “even lower for even longer”. All other things being equal, this is even more supportive for the housing market.

As of July 15th, 2015, the advertised five-year lending rate stood at 4.64 per cent, unchanged from the previous Bank rate announcement on May 27th, and down 0.15 percentage points from one year ago.

The next interest rate announcement will be on September 9th, 2015 and the next update to the Bank of Canada’s economic forecast will be on October 21st 2015.

(CREA 07/15/2015)