The Canadian Press

Some of the key highlights from the Liberal government’s 2024 federal budget

Ottawa

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland introduced the 2024 federal budget on Tuesday. Some key highlights:

Annual inflation rate increased to 2.9 per cent in March as gasoline prices rose

The annual inflation rate ticked higher in March compared with February, boosted by higher prices for gasoline, Statistics Canada said Tuesday.

Home prices expected to climb 4.9% in 2024 as sales rise last month: CREA

Canada & World

The Canadian Real Estate Association says it’s now expecting the national average home price to climb 4.9 per cent on an annual basis to $710,468,

Walmart Canada says robots coming to two Ontario warehouses, including Cornwall, jobs not at risk

Eastern Ontario Business Journal

In a Calgary warehouse almost as big as eight football fields, an army of robots whir about, carrying massive quantities of merchandise bound for Walmart

Macklem says interest rate cut in June possible after holding policy rate once again

Canada & World, Ottawa

Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says the central bank could begin lowering its key interest rate at its next decision in June after deciding

Tech experts hope federal AI funding will help quicken adoption, commercialization

Techopia

Tech experts are hopeful that more than two billion dollars in federal funding for Canada’s artificial intelligence industry will accelerate the adoption of technology and

Spring housing market surge unlikely as affordability, cost of living weigh on buyers

Real Estate, Canada & World, Ottawa, Residential

After five straight holds of the Bank of Canada’s key interest rate that followed its hiking cycle of more than a year, economists say a

Tech industry says barriers keep Canadian companies from selling to government

Techopia

Bureaucracy makes it too difficult for Canadian tech companies to sell to government, a new report from an industry group says — and all that

Firms, consumers more optimistic about economy amid expected rate cuts: BoC surveys

Canada & World

The Bank of Canada says business and consumer sentiment improved during the first quarter of the year, despite higher interest rates still putting a drag

Canada likely to avoid recession, begin recovering in second half of 2024: Deloitte

Canada & World

Canada looks set to dodge a recession despite the ongoing downward pressure from higher interest rates, Deloitte Canada said in its economic outlook report.