“You can’t get something for nothing” – how many times have we all heard that phrase?

There’s an old saying that it costs money to make money, but Canadians argued for years it should not cost money to access money.  Bank fees, ATM charges, and processing fees are all costs that people incur each time they use their debit or credit cards – adding up expenses every month on banking statements.

 With the Ontario general election only a few weeks away, the province’s three major parties have their campaigns in full swing. As with every election in the province, there’s been no shortage of attack ads and campaign lawn signs sporting the red, orange and blue. 

 You’ve put in the long hours and the hard work, and now your small business is off the ground. It's all worth it though, because you can finally call yourself a proud business owner. The last thing you need after all of that is to be stuck sorting piles of receipts and bills when tax time rolls around. Enter the small business credit card.

Talk of a housing slowdown seems a world away in Alberta. The province’s real estate sector is on fire, according to a new report from the Alberta Treasury Board. The agency’s in-depth review of Alberta housing found scorching demand for single-family homes, rising prices, and an outright boom in construction starts. As home sales slow in the rest of Canada, the board says Alberta real estate will be a standout performer in the years ahead.

Investors Group roiled the Canadian mortgage market this week when it announced it was cutting its 36-month variable mortgage rate to 1.99 percent, the lowest rate offered to borrowers in more than two years.  The move stunned many economists and prompted talk of a price war among lenders this summer. With all the buzz surrounding this mortgage product, we decided to dig a little deeper to make sure borrowers don’t get any surprises if they decide to sign up with Investors Group.