In This Economy?!

Interest rates weren't cut this week. Why? Well, it's complicated. The Bank of Canada didn't give borrowers a break when it set policy on Wednesday, as Tiff Macklem cited the need to wait for more data points. The word "uncertainty" is being thrown around, although ironically, the economy was actually stronger in the first quarter than forecast. Host Mike Eppel speaks to experts about the lack of a cut and what that means for the market, home buyers and home owners. Guests: Claire Fan, Senior Economist, Royal Bank of Canada Phil Soper, President Royal LePage

The pandemic was a boom time in the cottage industry. As people decamped out of the city, the prices for cottages skyrocketed. However, in this softened real estate market, it's not easy to hold on to two homes, and that's becoming more obvious with the amount of cottages currently on the market. Host Mike Eppel digs into cottage life with Kingley Ma, area VP of Re/Max Canada.

A big week on the budget front, for multiple reasons. Not only did Ontario release a budget that aims to get the province through the trade war, we learned that the new Liberal government will NOT be releasing a spring document. Host of "In This Economy" Mike Eppel digs into the consequences of all the budget news this week and has a sneak peek on what the Bank of Canada might do next.

We now have clarity now on Canada's new government, but predictions about the state of economy going forward are murkier. There are signs the economy is contracting, so what does that mean for you? Host Mike Eppel speaks with Dawn Desjardins, Chief Economist at Deloitte Canada.

Monday's vote is being closely analyzed, both to finalize the results, and to determine what the impact on the market and economy will be. In this episode of "In This Economy", host Mike Eppel looks at what happened last night, and what the upcoming challenges will be with guest Randall Bartlett, Deputy Chief Economist of Desjardins Group.

Owning a small or medium sized business is never easy, and this year, it's been even more challenging. The small business sector is the country's largest employer and they're facing a ton of uncertainty from tariffs and the threat of higher inflation and a potential recession. Host Mike Eppel talks to Simon Gauldeault, Chief Economist and VP of Research for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business to get his take.

It's a fluctuation that would - and did - send anyone over the edge, even those in the Canadian real estate market. Although the volatility didn't burn this side of the border nearly as much as it did to the south, the question still stands: what's in store for those Canadians cued up for a mortgage renewal this year? Host Mike Eppel speaks to Victor Tran, Mortgage and Real Estate Expert at rates.ca to discuss what the numbers mean and what we can expect to come in a seemingly never-ending tit-for-tat global trade war.

A Canadian economy once regaining its strength and gusto, is seeming to slip in its grip on success. GDP numbers from Statistics Canada were on the up to start off 2025...but the data now shows a different picture. So, where do we go from here? What's in store for Canada's economy amid Trump tariff threats? Are we in for a 'stagflation' scenario? And what does this all mean for your pocket? Host Mike Eppel speaks with Richard Forbes, Principal Economist of the Conference Board of Canada about what the current inflation numbers mean, how Trump's tariffs (and possibly new ones) could further impact the economy, and what we can look for in the coming weeks. Do you have a topic that's confounding you in this economy? We'll be happy to dig into it for you and get you the answers you need. Email us at rogerspodcastnetwork@rci.rogers.com. Thanks for listening!

Trying to run a business in this economy is anything but easy. Uncertainty, unease and pressure from so many different factors are creating a very difficult situation for Canadian operators. Host Mike Eppel speaks with Mike Tzimas, president of the Napoleon Group of Companies about the current situation, the impact on tariffs, and how difficult it is to be a Canadian business operator in this climate.

It's been another week of uncertainty for the financial markets. With back and forth announcements on tariffs happening this week, it's been next to impossible to gauge what will happen next. Host Mike Eppel is trying to make sense of it with Avery Shenfeld, Chief Economist at C-I-B-C.