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B.C. home sales fall nine per cent in September amid interest rate speculation
B.C. home sales fall nine per cent in September
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck
Home sales in British Columbia dipped again in September, with the province's real estate board saying interest rate hike speculation weighed on the market.
The British Columbia Real Estate Association says in a release that just over 5, 250 homes were sold last month, down about 9 per cent from the same month in 2025.
Home sales were about 26 per cent lower than the 10-year average for B.C. for the month of September.
The association says sales volume for residential transactions in B.C. last month was $4.9 billion, down 11 per cent from a year ago, while the average price on the Multiple Listing Service fell 2.4 per cent to just over $924,000.
Association chief economist Brendon Ogmundson says in a statement that the declines come after "an encouraging summer" where B.C. showed signs of recovery, but spiking oil prices have prompted speculation on whether the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates.
About 51,000 homes have been sold in B.C. so far in 2026, down about 6 per cent from the same period last year, with sales in September falling year-over-year in every region other than South Peace River and the Kootenays.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Alberta immigrants uneasy over province's referendum rhetoric
Five referendum questions propose tighter provincial control and new costs for temporary residents.
The streetlight near Moteleola Taiwo Olusile’s Calgary home had been broken for some time.
One day while walking home, she overheard a neighbour complain about it; the remark made a lasting impact on how Olusile feels about living in Alberta.
“The government would rather spend money making migrants feel welcome than fixing the streetlights,” Olusile said, recalling the woman’s comment.
“I don't know whether it was just a coincidence that she made that comment as I was walking past, but she said it nonetheless.”
After a decade of practising law in Nigeria, Olusile moved to Alberta to pursue a master’s degree in law at the University of Calgary.
Olusile is on a study permit, her husband holds a work permit, and their two children are temporary residents. It did not take her long to consider making Calgary a permanent home, drawn by the prospect of a quieter, more family-friendly life.
The Oct. 19 referendum and the political rhetoric surrounding it have made the family’s plans uncertain.
“It's difficult to feel welcome when even your neighbours hold that kind of opinion,” she said.
“I definitely don't want my children growing up in an environment where they feel unwelcome.”
Alhan Arsal, a temporary resident from Bangladesh, is pursuing a master’s degree in international relations at the University of Calgary
Arsal and his wife, who is currently studying in Vancouver, had weighed their options between settling in Calgary or Vancouver after finishing their studies.
“The referendum, as well as the political atmosphere in Alberta, has helped make my decision to move to Vancouver after my studies,” he said. “I am not comfortable making long-term plans in this province.”
Olusile and Arsal are among Alberta's 271,000 non-permanent residents, who accounted for about 5.4 per cent of the province’s population at the beginning of 2026.
While the question of Alberta's possible separation from Canada has drawn much of the attention — inside and outside the borders, it is the referendum's immigration proposals that could have more immediate consequences for residents.
Five of the 10 referendum questions concern immigration, including greater provincial control over immigration; restrictions on access to publicly funded services; a 12-month waiting period for certain social supports; additional health care and education fees for temporary residents and their families; and proof of citizenship to vote in provincial elections.
The final question asks whether Alberta should remain in Canada or begin the legal process toward a possible future binding referendum on separation.
The government has not defined who would qualify for the proposed “Alberta-approved immigration status,” nor specified what additional immigration powers it wants from Ottawa. The referendum is non-binding, and a vote in favour would not automatically put the proposed changes into effect.
Interviews with immigrants across Alberta revealed a range of views on the proposals.
Some support giving the province greater control over immigration and acknowledge the strain newcomers place on public services. Others worry about restrictions that could make life harder for temporary residents.
But even people who are sympathetic to the proposals say they are uneasy about the rhetoric surrounding the referendum and what it could mean for immigrants' sense of belonging in Alberta.
Dozie Anyaegbunam is a Calgary-based marketing professional and managing editor of The Newcomers, a publication and podcast exploring immigrant experiences in Canada. He recently became a Canadian citizen, and finds himself in an unusual position.
“Five years after moving to Canada, I'm being asked to vote on people who arrived much as I did,” said Anyaegbunam, who was born in Nigeria.
“I'm also being asked to consider rewriting the rules of a country I've just become a citizen of — or leaving it.”
Avnish Nanda is an Edmonton lawyer and co-founder of Our Alberta Advantage, a nonpartisan campaign opposing the referendum's immigration proposals and challenging the government's portrayal of newcomers as a burden on public services.
“This is scapegoating immigrants, newcomers and cultural communities for the government's own failures,” he said.
“I think it’s an affront to the journey of many people to this country and this province.”
Manpreet Tiwana, vice-president of the Alberta Liberal Party and an immigrant himself, said he believes these issues deserve an “honest and respectful discussion guided by facts, fairness, and the interest of all Albertans.”
“In my view, immigrant communities need a stronger voice in this debate. Their perspectives should be included in policy discussions and decision-making, particularly when proposed changes could directly affect their families, livelihoods and sense of belonging.”
Different experiences, different concerns
New Canadian Media interviewed several immigrants who acknowledged the strain on Alberta's health care and education systems, and expressed sympathy for at least some of the referendum proposals.
“I have directly seen some of the issues caused by mass immigration (while being a beneficiary of the same system),” said Imtiaz bin Hafiz, a lawyer who moved to Alberta in November 2022 from Bangladesh and is preparing to take his Canadian citizenship oath.
“To me, it feels like there was a significant disconnect between the federal immigration plan and the provincial capacity to accommodate the federal plan.”
Ninoy Ahmed, a Calgary-based senior credit risk analyst who has lived in Alberta for a decade, agreed that the system is stretched and residents should be consulted.
“It is in fact the people's right to cast their opinion on how public programs funded by their taxes should be structured,” he said.
Views on specific referendum questions are varied.
Nishu (who preferred to use only their nickname) is a 35-year-old government employee who moved to Alberta from Bangladesh in 2015 and is now a Canadian citizen. They are particularly concerned about the proposed 12-month waiting period for certain social supports.
“What happens if someone urgently needs help before completing those 12 months?”
Nishu worries the proposals could create different classes of residents.
“I don't think it's fair to create different levels of access to essential services based on immigration status,” they said.
Syed Zulqernain Safdar, a permanent resident who moved to Calgary from Pakistan in 2023, suggests international students could perhaps pay $2,000 a year for medical coverage, subject to affordability and exemptions.
“I believe supporting controlled immigration does not mean being anti-immigrant,” Safdar said.
Nanda, who co-founded Our Alberta Advantage, questions exaggerated claims of taxpayer costs, given that figures supplied by the premier's office indicate that temporary foreign workers and international students account for just 1.27 per cent of the province's health-care spending in 2024 even though they are a considerably larger share of the population.
Among immigrants who support restrictions, there is discomfort with the tone of the debate.
“It's the tone and the attitude of those in favour of the referendum that worries us, to an extent,” said Hafiz.
“It's obvious that some of the sentiments about immigration are fuelled by racism to an extent, while some of it is also fuelled by legitimate frustrations about the resource crisis caused by mass immigration.”
Anyaegbunam has a similar concern.
“What troubles me is how a conversation about paying for services has become one about whether our neighbours cost too much,” he said.
“Immigrant parents also want smaller classes and better access to doctors. Those shared concerns shouldn't put us on opposing sides.”
Tiwana argues that the political discussion must recognize newcomers' contributions rather than make them feel excluded.
“We are not outsiders looking in — we are Albertans and Canadians who contribute to our communities and share responsibility for our province's future.”
Nanda says his organization has been reaching out to voters in Punjabi, Hindi and Urdu, including campaigns at Edmonton gurdwaras (Sikh places of worship).
He said community members have connected the anti-immigration expressions surrounding the referendum with fears about their safety, particularly following a reported attack on a Sikh temple in Edmonton.
“The community thinks this anti-immigrant rhetoric is leading to increased incidents of violence towards them.”
The economic and political stakes
The referendum debate comes at a time when Alberta businesses are warning about labour shortages caused by a drop inimmigration.
An Oct. 8 report from Calgary’s chamber of commerce, states that 65 per cent of its members said their businesses are struggling to find workers, and 47 per cent expect recent or proposed immigration-policy changes to negatively affect their operations.
“We need immigrants to fill those labour shortages because the domestic population and the natural birth rate won’t address this,” Nanda said.
Olusile said she wonders what would happen if temporary residents decide to leave the province in large numbers.
“If there's a mass exodus of temporary residents, who absorbs those costs? The government? Or the people left behind?”
Nanda said the referendum is primarily political rather than necessary for implementing many of the proposed measures and that Premier Danielle Smith could implement most of the proposed changes without holding a referendum.
“This is about politics, not policy,” he said. “This is about blaming immigrants for the problems the government faces.”
Ahmed, who has lived and worked in Alberta for 10 years, said he sees a potential political benefit in the referendum. “If the separation questions at least give Alberta a better seat at the bargaining table with the feds, then the referendum is necessary,” he said.
While they have different views about immigration restrictions, many immigrants said they believe the province’s separation from Canada is a distant possibility.
After living in Alberta for the last four years, Hafiz said he and his wife still hope to live and retire there. But there is a limit.
“It's too remote a possibility to worry about, but if separation becomes a possibility, we will leave.”
Copyright 2026, New Canadian Media. All rights reserved.
Mubin S. Khan, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, New Canadian Media.
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Ammo stolen from military recovered in Toronto abduction probe, 3 CAF members charged
Ammo stolen from CAF recovered in abduction probe
THE CANADIAN PRESS/Spencer Colby
Toronto police say three military members have been charged in an abduction investigation that uncovered hundreds of ammunition rounds allegedly stolen from the Canadian Armed Forces.
Police say 2,500 rounds of ammunition, about half of them blanks, were allegedly stolen from the military.
The three military members are among seven people police say have been arrested in what they called an ongoing investigation.
Police say it began on July 25, when officers responded to a reported abduction.
They allege the victim, who was targeted for his cryptocurrency, was taken at gunpoint, handcuffed and assaulted before the suspects tried to gain access to his assets.
Police say the investigation's multiple search warrants also turned up two 3D-printed handguns, a shotgun, two silencers and illicit drugs.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 14, 2026.
Copyright 2026, The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.
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Augmentation de loyer au Québec : Voici ce que ton proprio a le droit de faire ou non
Prends des notes pour ton prochain renouvellement de bail. 👀
Habituellement, au Québec, la grande majorité des baux se terminent le 31 juin et durent douze mois. Sachant que l'avis de renouvellement doit se faire entre trois à six mois avant la fin du bail, la plupart des locataires auront jusqu'au 31 mars pour renouveler ou mettre fin à celui-ci. Si cela est ton cas, il ne te reste donc que quelques semaines avant de remettre ta décision.
Si tu habites présentement un appartement loué, sache qu'ils existent des lois au Québec afin de protéger les locataires. En effet, les propriétaires n'ont pas le droit de tout faire concernant leur logement. Pour t'aider à en savoir plus sur tes droits en tant que locataires, et ce, surtout en cette période de renouvellement de bail, voici quelques informations qui peuvent t'être bien utiles si tu penses rester dans ton appart.
Suis-je obligé.e d'accepter une augmentation du coût du loyer?
Tu n'es jamais obligé.e d'accepter une augmentation du coût de ton loyer, surtout si celle-ci n'est pas basée sur des motifs clairs ou est injustifiée. Si par exemple ton ou ta proprio explique l'augmentation par une rénovation chez ton ou ta voisin.e ou par la récente inflation, ces justifications sont considérées comme invalides et peuvent être contestées.
Selon Éducaloi, et contrairement à la pensée populaire, il n'y a pas de taux fixes obligatoires pour une augmentation de loyer, mais tu peux tout de même te fier aux calculs effectués par le Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) qui sort, chaque année, des pourcentages qui peuvent servir et guider les ajustements de loyer.
Qu'est-ce qui est considéré comme valide pour augmenter un loyer?
Plusieurs éléments peuvent venir justifier une augmentation de loyer. Ainsi, si ton ou ta propriétaire a effectué des rénovations majeures qui profitent à l'ensemble des locataires (par exemple, la réparation des fondations de l’immeuble, le sablage et le vernissage des planchers), si les frais d'énergie ou les taxes scolaires et municipales ont augmenté ou si les frais d'entretien (déneigement, entretien de la tuyauterie, peinture, etc.) ont grimpé.
« En ce qui concerne les réparations majeures, si ces dernières profitent à l’ensemble des locataires d’un immeuble à logement, l’augmentation sera alors divisée selon le nombre de logements », laisse savoir Éducaloi sur son site Internet.
Comment savoir si une augmentation est exagérée?
Si la hausse de ton logement te semble inexpliquée, tu peux utiliser le formulaire de calcul fournit par le TAL afin d'évaluer celle-ci et ainsi voir si oui ou non cela vaudra la peine de refuser l'augmentation et d'entrer dans des négociations avec ton ou ta propriétaire. Tu peux, bien sûr, aussi te fier aux critères nommés plus haut.
Comment refuser une augmentation de loyer?
Si ton bail est conforme à la loi, tu devrais pouvoir choisir entre trois options soit : j'accepte les modifications (le bail sera ainsi reconduit selon les nouvelles conditions), je désire quitter le logement (tu devras alors trouver un autre logement avant la fin du bail) ou je refuse les modifications proposées.
Si tu souhaites contester la hausse ou les modifications dans ton bail, tu peux alors t'embarquer dans des négociations à l'amiable avec ton ou ta propriétaire ou t'adresser au TAL pour qu’il décide du sort des modifications proposées. Sache que le ou la propriétaire peut lui aussi faire appel au TAL. Il ou elle aura alors un mois après avoir reçu ton refus pour le faire.
Est-ce que ton bail peut se renouveler automatiquement?
Oui, si tu n'informes pas ton ou ta propriétaire de tes intentions de quitter le logement ou que tu n'as pas indiqué que tu réfutes les modifications, ton bail sera renouvelé automatiquement sans que tu n'aies rien à faire. C'est pourquoi tu dois bien respecter les délais et envoyer ton avis avant la date limite (soit pour la majorité des baux au Québec, le 31 mars 2023).
Comment savoir les prix moyens pour un appartement dans mon quartier en 2023?
Quelques entreprises immobilières se sont amusées à récolter des données pour des quartiers précis ou des villes au Québec, et ce, pour diverses dimensions de logements. Cela peut te donner une idée du prix moyen des appartements dans ton secteur.
Le site Appartogo, par exemple, présente les prix moyens pour plusieurs villes au Québec. À Montréal, un trois et demi coûterait en moyenne 1 498 $ alors qu'à Québec, pour le même nombre de pièces, celui-ci coûterait 1 233 $.
Tu peux aussi consulter la plateforme liv.rent qui sort, chaque mois, les prix moyens des annonces de location de logements dans onze des quartiers les plus populaires de l'île de Montréal.
Ces chiffres ne sont pas à prendre au pied de la lettre, mais peuvent t'aider à savoir ce que tu devrais faire avec ton avis de renouvellement de bail.
Tu peux aussi regarder la section G de ton bail où ton ou ta propriétaire est obligé.e d'indiquer le loyer le plus bas douze mois avant ton arrivée.
Est-ce que mon proprio peut reprendre son logement?
Oui, mais à certaines conditions seulement. Selon le TAL, un.e propriétaire de l'immeuble peut reprendre le logement seulement s'il ou elle souhaite s'y loger ou pour un.e membre de sa famille nucléaire (parents ou enfants) ou une personne à charge dont iel est le soutien principal (matériel ou moral). Si c'est le cas, tu devras être averti.e six mois avant la fin de ton bail.
Sache aussi qu'un.e propriétaire n'a pas le droit de se servir de cette raison et par la suite de ne pas habiter le logement afin de le mettre sur le marché à un taux plus élevé.