The Globe’s most-read through enterprise and investing tales of 2023: Livable cities, Alberta’s pension approach, property finance loan fees and a lot more
Marcia Clark 
Table of Contents
Higher inflation. A complex desire rate cycle. Alberta’s controversial pension ideas. Netflix’s password sharing crackdown. Canada’s most livable cities. Increasing mortgages payments. Recession fears. It’s harmless to say that there has been no shortage of information this 12 months.
In the last weekly digest of 2023, we’re using a seem again at The Globe’s most-study organization and investing tales of the total yr. Get caught up on the biggest stories that resonated with viewers on a assortment of topics from housing, debt, significant minerals and much more.
‘We’re hardly earning it’: 8 Canadian tales expose the pain of soaring home loan fees
Colin Tran wishes to obtain a house, but can not manage substantial home loan costs. As a substitute he is saving working with the new First Dwelling Price savings Account.JASON FRANSON/The World and Mail
In a year of higher inflation and housing unaffordability, Canadian house owners were particularly experience the squeeze of fascination fees. Irene Galea spoke to Canadians dealing with hard choices in buy to continue paying off their loans. They are deferring retirement, cutting again expenses and worrying about how they will include their following home loan payment. Some are even lengthening their home finance loan amortization, stretching out the length of their payments from 15 or 25 decades to 30 many years or over and above to maintain their payments down. These are their tales.
Feeling: Netflix’s desperate crackdown on password sharing shows it could possibly are unsuccessful like Blockbuster
This image reveals a logo for Netflix on a remote handle in Portland, Ore.Jenny Kane/The Affiliated Press
When Netflix announced in February that it would crack down on password sharing, Canadians end users were being left questioning whether or not it was continue to well worth shelling out the subscription payment. In a column for The World and Mail, Ken Birch, director of the Institute for Technoscience and Culture at York University, raises the problem of whether the transfer – and Netflix’s organization design and monetization strategy – is feasible in the prolonged-operate. He writes: “Netflix is struggling with a self-defeating cycle with its membership changes.” Quick forward to the conclude of the 12 months, Netflix has noted robust 3rd-quarter final results and increased its subscriber base – sending shares surging.
The 100 most livable cities in Canada
Illustration by Kathleen Fu
One of The Globe’s popular stories of the 12 months in basic was the inaugural position of Canada’s 100 most livable metropolitan areas. The information-driven listing areas an emphasis on crucial characteristics that most Canadians benefit in their communities this kind of as the economic system, weather, basic safety and, yes, the charge of housing. The Canadian town that arrived in variety 1 overall was Victoria, B.C. for its accessibility to character, gentle sunny weather and dreamy seaside way of daily life. The major Canadian city for raising kids was Winnipeg, Guy. for the reason that of its small price tag-of-living and reasonably priced housing. Mahima Singh and Chen Wang also designed sub-rankings tailored to everyday living phases such as younger specialists, family members increasing young children, newcomers, business people, retirees and more – to accommodate the evolving priorities across diverse levels of lifestyle.
Impression: Danielle Smith’s approach to withdraw from CPP would depart all Canadians – such as Albertans – poorer
Alberta Leading Danielle Smith speaks to the media in Calgary, Alta., on Sept. 18.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Push
In September, Alberta Leading Danielle Smith claimed the province will pursue programs to depart the Canada Pension Plan and in its place push to established up an alternate provincial pension program. In a column for The World and Mail, Andrew Willis writes that this system would leave all Canadians – such as Albertans – poorer. He writes: “Every financial commitment experienced in the state is aware this idea, as envisioned by the Leading, is a truly bad notion.” He also writes that even if Ms. Smith is successful in developing a provincial pension program, the resulting fund would be significantly smaller sized than what the leading has promised. Study the whole column on Alberta’s pension prepare.
Wayne Gretzky’s rookie card is the Holy Grail of Canadian sports activities collectibles – and I own 1
A variety of Wayne Gretzky hockey cards owned by Jason Martin of Martin Athletics Playing cards, are on display screen at the Activity Playing cards and Memorabilia Expo, in Mississauga, Ont.Christopher Katsarov/The Globe and Mail
Wayne Gretzky’s rookie card is the most useful card ever developed on Canadian soil. In truth, Dave Parkinson describes it as “the Holy Grail of Canadian sports collectibles” – and he comes about to owns one particular. The card, which was created by Canadian firm The O-Pee-Chee Business, Ltd. and marks The Fantastic One’s rookie calendar year, is a centrepiece of multimillion-greenback sports-card auctions throughout the globe. The Globe columnist established out to come across much more about the special card from his childhood, which include where it came from, how it was designed, and why another person would invest millions of bucks to individual it. Read through about his journey.
Canada would like to be a world-wide chief in crucial minerals. Why is Australia feeding on our lunch?
Look at of the Rio Tinto Alcan smelter in Kitimat, B.C.Felipe Fittipaldi/The World and Mail
The Globe introduced its Mission Important sequence this yr, which seems at the concerns all-around irrespective of whether Canada can become a mining superpower in important minerals. The initially story of the collection explores how overseas corporations have crafted a dominant position in Canada’s important minerals sector – and couple have benefited additional than Australia. Niall McGee normally takes a look at how Canadian procedures around foreign investment current an existential threat for domestic mining companies below. The sequence also dives into themes these as income issues and source chain worries for EV batteries.
How does your credit card debt examine to Canadians your age? Come across out with this calculator
Picture illustration by The World and Mail/iStockPhoto / Getty Illustrations or photos
How significantly credit card debt is every single generation of Canadians carrying, and how do you examine? In January, own finance columnist Rob Carrick released an anonymous study in his Carrick on Dollars e-newsletter asking visitors inquiries about their debt. He analyzed the survey final results from far more than 6,150 people today – aged 18 to 29, 30 to 39 and so on, up to 70-moreover – and the facts was applied to develop a calculator. The quantities assist to pinpoint which generations carry the most debt (on typical), how considerably people today owe (on regular) and how widespread it is to have numerous sorts of debt at particular ages – since, as he writes, “the actuality of everyday living in today’s environment is that persons from all generations are borrowers.”
