After months of pressure to crack down on colleges that have been accused of exploiting international students, Canada is capping study permits at about 360,000 students this year. 

What happened: The federal government is reducing the number of international student permits by 35% as part of a temporary two-year cap on foreign enrolment. The move also aims to ease some strain on Canada’s housing market and healthcare systems. 

 On this week’s episode of Free Lunch by The Peak, we sat down with Daniel Foch, co-host of the Canadian Real Estate Investor podcast, to talk about the future of the housing market. 

As the cruise industry booms, cruise lines are increasingly offering longer-term voyages to appeal to cruisers who want to leave behind the lowly life of a landlubber.

Driving the news: Major cruise lines like Norwegian and Holland America have made longer voyages part of their plans for this year, Princess’ longest voyage ever will set sail in 2025, and Royal Caribbean's ongoing nine-month cruise has become a TikTok sensation. 

Tiny towns popping up in the northern Ontario wilderness have come under government scrutiny, but their pioneer-like inhabitants insist they just want cheaper housing.   

Tiny towns popping up in the northern Ontario wilderness have come under government scrutiny, modern-day pioneers living in them insist they just want cheaper housing.

When all else fails, try finding answers to today’s problems in the ol’ history textbooks. 

What happened: The federal government is rolling out a catalogue of pre-approved home designs to speed up housing development in the midst of a nationwide shortage — one that continues to fuel some of the most expensive housing costs seen across all G7 nations. 

The newest admissions requirement for foreign students looking to get into a Canadian university has nothing to do with grades or extracurriculars. 

What happened: International students planning to study in Canada next year need to prove they have at least $20,635 in their bank account—up from the current requirement of $10,000. 

If it seems like everybody is becoming a realtor these days, it’s easy to imagine why: North American real estate agents are raking in some of the highest commissions in the world.

Driving the news: But now, a string of class action lawsuits has arrived to ruin the real estate party by cracking down on those sky-high sale commissions (average commissions in Toronto are now $62,000) that home buyers and sellers say are making homes pricier.

Two years ago, $2,000 could get you a long way in Canada’s major cities: We’re talking floor-to-ceiling windows, indoor swimming pools, and desirable downtown locations… these days, it’s all about staircase living and shared bedrooms. So, what happened?

Per CTV, the increasingly limited housing supply across the country is causing both developers and tenants to try and make the most of their space. All of it. But some of the arrangements are so unconventional that they’re starting to draw backlash online.

Alongside milk, bread, and prescription drugs, new apartment buildings are now GST-free. 

What happened: The federal government announced an immediate removal of the federal GST on the construction of new rental apartments—a move Ottawa urged provinces to follow.

If your top skills include “counting, like, really high” then boy, does the government have a job for you. 

What happened: A report published yesterday by CIBC economist Benjamin Tal found that there are around one million more non-permanent residents (NPRs) in Canada—including international students—than government estimates would lead home builders to believe.