Quebec government takes action with additional funding for children’s breakfasts

Quebec school boards will be receiving additional funding to serve breakfasts in all primary schools located in disadvantaged communities as part of the Quebec government’s Educational Services Strategy.

The additional funding expands the current school meal program and ensures that a greater number of children have an equal chance at success.  The initiative, championed by Breakfast Club of Canada, also recognizes the importance of a healthy breakfast in fostering academic performance.

"This is a big day for the Club and the partners, contributors and numerous donors who have been speaking up, and stepping up, for 23 years,” said Daniel Germain, President and Founder of Breakfast Club of Canada. "We greet this announcement with great pride and enthusiasm.” 

Already active in 312 schools in Quebec and capitalizing on the expertise gained over the past 23 years, Breakfast Club of Canada is eager to work with the school communities that choose to partner with the Club to implement breakfast programs in more than 400 new schools. And the Club is ready to accommodate the additional demand. 

Debbie Thomas is equally as pleased about this announcement, and is proud of the ongoing support from TMG brokers who contribute to the Breakfast Club of Canada each year. 

"Not only are we proud of the funds that we have raised to ensure more children in Canada have the opportunity to begin their day with a nutritious breakfast, but of the way our brokers and staff have gotten involved in local communities across the country, raising awareness and volunteering in the schools directly,” she said. "Since we started TMG has raised over $250,000 – that’s over 250,000 healthy breakfasts served to hungry children.”

Breakfast Club of Canada’s core philosophy is that children deserve to start the school day with a nutritious breakfast in an inclusive, caring environment. Over the years, the Club has helped shed light on the positive impacts and outcomes of school meal programs. 

"We would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all those who have supported and continue to support Breakfast Club of Canada,” added Mr. Germain. "Their commitment has made a difference for hundreds of thousands of children across Quebec. But neither the public sector nor the private sector can win this fight alone. By joining forces today and tomorrow, we will be giving kids the best possible shot at success and helping them live up to their full potential. Together, we can make it happen.” 

Housing affordability continues to erode

New mortgage rules, rising interest rates, and stress tests have definitely cooled housing market activity by making it more challenging for some to qualify for mortgage. An unwelcome consequence continues to be eroding affordability -- as sales activity slows down, house prices have continued to go up, and not only in major urban centres. 

In the first quarter of 2018, home affordability eroded further at the national level – the 11th straight quarter of declines, according to a report by the National Bank. The bank measures affordability as the mortgage payment on a median-priced home as a percentage of median income. Last quarter, the metric rose by 1.2 points in Canada. The higher the metric, the worse the housing affordability.

The bank also suggests that as interest rates rise, affordability will continue to decline, setting the stage where prices have nowhere to go but down. But when? And will it be too late?

The National Bank report also says that by the end of 2019, prices would need to fall 2% in Toronto and Vancouver to keep home affordability from eroding further.

Economists have been predicting a more stable, balanced economy where people are happily working and are able to pay their debts; where interest rates are “low normal” and where house prices are affordable.  Well, that was a few years ago. The once booming real estate sector is in a bit of a slump. 

The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA) reported that national home sales on the MLS were down 2.9% in April 2018, to the lowest level in more than five years. About 60% of all local housing markets reported fewer sales.

According to Will Dunning, Chief Economist, Mortgage Professionals Canada, data for the first quarter of 2018 points to a sharp slowdown. For the first quarter, the sales rate was 10.3% slower than in 2017. The average price in Canada was $482,782– a 4.8% drop compared to a year ago. However, when we look at the price index as opposed to averages, which can be easily skewed, Dunning reports a different picture.

The index from CREA shows that in the first quarter of 2018 prices were 6.4% higher compared to a year ago. The index from Teranet/National Bank shows a rise of 7.6%. Price growth is strongly influenced by the balance between supply and demand, which can be measured using the sales-to-new-listings ratio. The data from CREA indicates that the ratio was 56.6% in the first quarter. Based on that ratio, Dunning expects house price growth in many areas of Canada, which is what is indeed happening.

We are living in strange times. World economies have changed; NAFTA is at risk and our economy might start to feel the effects of a trade war with the US. The new mortgage-insurance rules and stress test have indeed impacted the market, especially for the first-time homebuyers.

In an April 2018 survey by West Coast Capital Savings, 60% of young British Columbians (18 to 29 years old) believe it’s impossible to buy a house in the province’s pricey real estate market and are “seriously considering” moving to areas where home ownership is less costly.

While some homebuyers can adjust their housing expectations and move to buy something less expensive, some potential buyers will be knocked out of the market. And will there be enough, good inventory available for purchase?

There is no arguing that the market has cooled, but it has not stopped. We have not yet heard of massive foreclosures, which mean that households continue to pay their mortgages and their debts. 

So, the big question is when will prices really start coming down in a way that will make housing affordable again. 

We need to continue to closely watch the market to determine if rising rates and lower home values are a blip or a trend which will ultimately impact long term affordability for Canadians.