The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that Canada's housing market is struggling, affecting household spending despite a booming stock market. A Reuters dispatch to The Globe reports that Canada was the only G7 economy to post a home price decline last year, the latest Bank for International Settlements data show, as many households renewed mortgages at borrowing rates well above pandemic-era lows and as slower growth in immigration cut demand for housing.
Lower housing prices could crimp Prime Minister Mark Carney's aim to revive the economy, which is also facing a trade war with the U.S. GDP grew by 1.7 per cent in 2025, the slowest pace in five years. Canadian household net worth still rose by more than $1-trillion in 2025 to $18.6-trillion, due mainly to appreciating financial assets as Canada's natural resource-linked stock market posted the largest increase since 2009 and outperformed the main U.S. indices, benefiting primarily wealthy Canadians.
Analysts see limited evidence of a wealth effect, as housing impacts financial well-being more than stocks, especially when prices decline.
An elevated savings rate is one sign that Canadians are not spending a greater share of their income, analysts say.
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