The Bank of Canada kept its key lending rate at 1 per cent on Tuesday, suggesting it believes the economy is still fragile and isn't ready for a bump in interest rates.

The decision marks the ninth consecutive time the central bank has kept the rate at just 1 per cent.

The statement that accompanied the interest rate announcement warne ...

Condos offer a lucrative return over time

In 1982, Brad Lamb was studying engineering at Queen's University in Kingston and sharing a seven-bedroom house with nine others. With monthly rent set at $100 per person, it was a great deal for cash-strapped students. But when the owners put the property up for sale at $50,000 one spring day, young Brad was stunned.

"I pulled out my calculator and f ...

As a Quebec notary, much of my practice consists of residential real estate. Lately, I've had an increasing number of requests from prospective buyers who want to invest in a rental property (e.g. duplex, triplex) in Montreal to convert that dwelling’s individual rental units into condos. The recurring question is: "How do I go ...

How a Hawaiian paradise became a ghost town

Ambling into the warm embrace of Kukui'ula's clubhouse on Kauai's pristine south shore is to catch a fleeting glimpse into how the other half lives. Or, more accurately, the other 0.1%.

But with the global economy in turmoil and real-estate wounds still festering across the country, there's trouble in paradise.

"We broke ground on the club in 2008 ...

Building permits drop for second straight month in August: StatsCan

OTTAWA - The value of building permits issued in August slipped for the second straight month amid growing anxiety about whether the Canadian economy is slipping back into recession.

The "disappointing" 10.4 per cent drop from July brought the total value to $5.9 billion for the month as both the residential and non-resident ...

Canada doesn't see housing bubble, no need to cool

NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Vancouver housing market is attracting unusually strong demand but Canada as a whole does not face a housing bubble that requires government action, Finance Minister Jim Flaherty said on Wednesday.

Flaherty and Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney have paid close attention to Vancouver housing prices, and they have wa ...