How housing affordability is declining + MORE Dec 19th

For the third year in a row Maclean’s asked economists, investors, analysts and financial commentators to submit what they think will be an important chart Canadians should watch in the year ahead—and they delivered, in spades. Here is just one of the many charts that help paint the picture of Canada’s economy for the upcoming year. Larry MacDonald picked this Bank of Canada Housing Affordability Index chart to show the likelihood of a housing market collapse based on historical data. See his insight below.

“The Bank of Canada’s Housing Affordability Index remains the indicator to watch in 2017 because if Canadians can no longer afford to own a house, it would dampen residential construction and undermine a key prop holding up the economy—not to mention possibly even endanger the financial system through rising mortgage defaults. The index, which tracks the proportion of disposable income that a representative Canadian family spends on carrying a mortgage and utilities, has indeed trended upward in recent quarters…

TheChronicleHerald.ca'Rogue One' blasts to top of box office with $155 millionTheChronicleHerald.ca"Rogue One: A Star Wars Story" blasted into theatres Thursday night and flew straight to the top of the box office with $155 million in ticket sales. It's the second biggest December opening for any film, behind "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which …Big dividend payers lead indexes higher in quiet tradingDaily Mail'Rogue One': Jyn Erso's Character Seems Left on the Cutting Room FloorHollywood ReporterA's reliever Sean Doolittle reviews “Rogue One”NBCSports.comRollingStone.com -CNBC -New York Daily News -MTV.comall 569 news articles »

Leaky toilet, old appliances, outdated fixtures. All culprits in wasting water and gobbling up energy. Kick the inefficient resource hogs to the curb, with these updates.
Low-flow fixtures

The typical Canadian spends about eight minutes in the shower and uses 9.1 L of water/minute. Install an energy-efficient showerhead and cut your water usage by 20%
Save up to $60/year
When to buy appliances

DEC. 26 (Boxing week) OR JULY (Mid-summer)
Stores are trying to move last year’s models to make room for new stock
Save up to 50%
Do buy…don’t buy 
DO BUY: Prevent rust and corrosion with a stainless steel or plastic dishwasher basin or washing machine tub
DO BUY: Front-loading clothes washers use up to 85% less electricity and 75% less water than top-loader machines
DON’T: Skip the steam settings, as they only slightly improve stain cleaning
DON’T BUY:  The cheapest appliance, as manufacturers usually cut costs by trimming performance, energy and water efficiency, and capacity
Don’t flush money down the drain 
Toilet
Listening to your toilet consistently run is like flushing 5,585 bath-tubs of water down the drain…

Mosaic’s acquisition will extend its position as the world’s largest producer of phosphate crop nutrients

CBC.caCalgary businessman Riaz Mamdani ID'ed as Mount Royal shooting victimCBC.caA Calgary real estate developer who has been the subject of numerous legal proceedings in recent years is in stable condition after being shot outside of his Mount Royal mansion Monday morning. Riaz Mamdani was leaving his home in a dark Rolls Royce …Strategic Group's Riaz Mamdani identified as man shot in wealthy Calgary neighbourhoodThe Globe and MailMan seriously injured in southwest Calgary morning shootingGlobalnews.caMount Royal shooting: Man rushed to hospital after morning attackCalgary Sunall 13 news articles »