Craig Alexander

Speculation has picked up in Western Canada, while housing markets in Central Canada appear to be coming in for a read more

Speculation has picked up in Western Canada, while housing markets in Central Canada appear to be coming in for a soft landing.

Given these divergent signals from the Bank of Canada and the Fed, look for the Canadian dollar to strengthen in read more

Given these divergent signals from the Bank of Canada and the Fed, look for the Canadian dollar to strengthen in the near term, trading decisively through 90 U.S. cents.

We estimate that only Winnipeg and the Atlantic are more affordable than Calgary and Edmonton, but only because home prices read more

We estimate that only Winnipeg and the Atlantic are more affordable than Calgary and Edmonton, but only because home prices in the former two are considerably cheaper than their Alberta counterparts.

The odds clearly favor the Bank of Canada raising the overnight rate by a quarter point on May 24 to read more

The odds clearly favor the Bank of Canada raising the overnight rate by a quarter point on May 24 to 4.25 percent.

In contrast to Central and Eastern Canada, housing conditions in Western Canada remain very tight and are showing increased signs read more

In contrast to Central and Eastern Canada, housing conditions in Western Canada remain very tight and are showing increased signs of speculation. When economic conditions are booming, it can also create the perfect breeding ground for speculative price bubbles to form. That's because in such an environment, housing market participants are at greater risk of developing a case of irrational exuberance, especially if they expect that such exorbitant price gains will continue indefinitely.