Canadian wage gains outpace inflation

ORA MORISON The Globe and Mail On average, Canadians brought home more cash in May, and earnings continued to grow faster than inflation. Statistics Canada reported Thursday that average weekly earnings crept up 0.5 per cent in May compared with April, and that gains were felt in all provinces. The average worker made $894.61 per week — […]

Customers flee uncivil behaviour

By Lesley Ciarula Taylor | Wed Sep 28 2011 Customers will dump a business and tell their friends to do the same even if they just overhear an employee being rude, two business professors have found. “There is a moral argument against employees being uncivil,”Georgetown University’s Christine Porath said. “But you stand a much stronger chance of getting that […]

CDN jobless rate lowest since 2008

OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada’s unemployment rate fell to 7.2 percent in July, its lowest since December 2008, from 7.4 percent in June, though this was due more to people dropping out of the labor market than to job creation. Statistics Canada said Friday the economy managed to eke out 7,100 new jobs while holding on […]

Alberta renovation spending to lead country 1.7% growth in 2011, 4.9% in 2012

CALGARY — Renovation spending in Alberta is forecast to lead the country in year-over-year growth this year and in 2012, according to a report by the Altus Group, an economic consulting firm. The report said spending in Alberta on renovations hit $5.7 billion in 2010, which accounted for 9.5 per cent of all spending in […]

Five steps to scoring a mortgage

A variety of factors can keep you from qualifying for a mortgage. The big ones include a low credit score, insufficient income for the size of the loan you want, insufficient down payment and excessive debt. All of these factors are within your control, however. Let’s take a look at your options for overcoming any […]