Articles

Holiday spending will be less this holiday season, writes Peter Watson. There are many significant headwinds that will limit spending this holiday season. Our economic fabric is less solid than it has been in previous years. Many just do not have enough extra money to spend on holiday gifts. Inflation is high and everything seems … Holiday Spending Expected to Decline

Running out of money during retirement is a possibility, writes Peter Watson. Planning your finances for later years often focuses on reaching retirement: work hard for decades for your golden years. Most attention is on earning an income and paying the bills. Managing ongoing living expenses is important. But it is only a start. Reaching … Longevity is a Financial Risk

Immigration brings challenges but has advantages, writes Peter Watson. Are the high numbers of immigrants to Canada causing us economic harm The Canadian economy has a housing shortage and has a much higher rate of inflation than in previous decades. It is understandable that many wonder why. Some say high immigration levels are adding too … Immigration is Good for Canada

Affordability of homeownership continues to be a major concern, writes Peter Watson. Many people dream of home ownership; however, the reality of owning a home does not depend on dreams but on simple arithmetic. Some mistakenly think real estate values operate in a similar fashion to that of the stock market. Comparing house values to … Homeownership Affordability is a Major Concern

The demand for food banks has increased sharply and that underlies the significant financial challenges many Canadians face, writes Peter Watson. More families find it difficult to make ends meet. It seems everything is more expensive. Homeownership costs have risen largely because of the increase in the cost of borrowing and therefore mortgage payments are … Does food bank usage mean that our financial system is broken?

Blaming others is not a financial solution for personal financial problems, writes Peter Watson. There have been two the public examples by the federal government of blaming others for financial hardship. It is no secret that many Canadians are finding it very difficult to make ends meet. Everything seems so expensive, and many cannot keep … Beware of the Financial Blame Game