Category Archives: Palace Place News

Today, July 15, 2026, the Bank of Canada has announced that it is holding its rate again for the sixth consecutive time at 2.25%, keeping the rate that it had first established on October 29, 2025.

The Bank of Canada has asserted that the economy has been showing signs of improvement with growth picking up and inflation set to ease gradually toward 2 percent. However, this optimistic view has overlooked persistent underlying weaknesses. Canada has experienced a technical recession with GDP contractions in late 2025 and early 2026 driven by weak business investment, trade uncertainties from US policy, slower population growth, and soft consumer sectors. Recent monthly GDP rebounds have largely reflected temporary oil and gas surges rather than broad strength, while the labour market has remained soft with unemployment near 6.5 percent, insufficient job creation, and struggling per capita GDP. Headline inflation has spiked to 3.2 percent in May, adding cost-of-living pressures, and forecasts for modest 0.7 percent growth in 2026 have signaled ongoing economic weakness rather than a robust recovery.

It has become very concerning to see the Bank of Canada use its position to support a political agenda over its impartial mandate. Case in point, the Bank of Canada has said, “Although the Canada-US-Mexico Agreement is now subject to annual reviews, more businesses report they are finding ways to navigate through the uncertainty.” This severely contradicts recent reporting by CTV News just days prior that “Companies no longer in the wait and see mode as experts predict manufacturing exodus from Canada.” 

Juno News has also reported that Alberta has accounted for nearly 80 percent of all jobs created across Canada over the last year, which signals concern for Canada’s other provinces and casts doubt on the Bank of Canada’s statements about broad job growth.

As we have maintained since April 2025, the Canadian economy would gain significant stability from a robust trade agreement with its largest trading partner, provided the government can overcome its ineffective negotiation efforts. 

For Canada, USMCA is not just another trade deal. It’s the foundation of our economic relationship with our largest, by far, trading partner. Predictable, rules-based access matters enormously when three-quarters of our exports go to one market. More negotiations and more uncertainty, even without collapse, still carry real costs in delayed investment, higher risk premiums, and lost opportunities.

As we had reported in our recent story, “The US decides not to renew the USMCA, triggering more uncertainty for Canada,” while it should have been a clean long-term deal, we now face managed but perpetual uncertainty. For Canada, that is far from benign.

In Humber Bay Shores, active inventory has risen sharply from 197 active listings this spring to over 249 now, signalling softening demand and potential downward pressure on prices in the coming months.

The best rates that we have seen so far:

3 year fixed at 3.99% (decreased from 4.09% in June 2026)

5 year variable at 3.55%

The next scheduled date for announcing the overnight rate target is September 2, 2026.

E: LDALINDA@DALINDA.NET • TEL: 416-725-7170

Be sure that you SUBSCRIBE to this blog to be the first to know of new listings even before they hit MLS! Stay tuned. The Subscribe link is to the left of this post.

Palace Place, 1 Palace Pier Court, and Palace Pier, 2045 Lake Shore Boulevard West, in Humber Bay Shores.

Follow @LukeDalinda on Instagram!

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.

Luke Dalinda, Realtor. Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage.

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.

The Best Condos in Toronto were built between 1985 and 2000. Find out why?

It will come as a shock to many, but the best condominium residences in Toronto had been built between the years 1985 and 2000, not later.

Steadier Construction Pace Reduced Shortcuts

Toronto’s major condo boom had accelerated sharply after 2000, with thousands of units coming online annually amid high demand. In contrast, the 1985 to 2000 period had shown more measured growth. Builders of that time had faced less pressure to compress schedules or cut corners on hidden details to hit pre-sale targets or meet investor timelines. This had allowed better sequencing for critical work like foundation waterproofing (“bathtub” systems in waterfront areas), concrete placement, and envelope sealing. Rapid post-2000 projects sometimes had led to rushed execution, e.g., blindside membranes prone to adhesion failures, shotcrete issues (the method of spraying concrete at high speed onto surfaces), or incomplete joints, resulting in water penetration complaints in some buildings. The earlier era’s rhythm supported more deliberate quality control. This deliberate approach produced buildings that have stood the test of time better than many rushed later projects.

Clear Building Rules Before the Boom

The 1985 National Building Code of Canada (and aligned Ontario rules) had provided clear, prescriptive standards for structural integrity, wind loads, and basic waterproofing. These were well-understood and enforced during a less frantic period. Later shifts (notably the 2005 objective-based NBCC/OBC updates) had introduced more performance flexibility and “equivalent solutions.” While intended to encourage innovation without lowering standards, this had coincided with the boom. In high-pressure environments, some alternatives or interpretations had enabled cost-saving approaches that did not always hold up as well in challenging Toronto conditions (high water tables, freeze-thaw cycles, clay soils).

Documented Quality Differences in Practice

Many 1985 to 2000 concrete high-rises have demonstrated solid long-term durability, with issues more often tied to normal aging (e.g., mechanical upgrades) rather than original construction defects. Post-2000 examples (including some in Humber Bay Shores and other lakefront areas) have seen higher reports of early water ingress, foundation leaks, cladding problems, and envelope failures, leading to lawsuits, Tarion claims, and special assessments. Engineering investigations often cite installation shortcuts under volume pressures. Industry observers (engineers, real estate analysts) have noted that the boom had amplified risks with more subcontractors, tighter margins, and faster urban infill on complex sites.

Buyer and Investor Advantages Today

Condos from the 1985 to 2000 era are now proven and “seasoned”. Their performance track record is known. Many have established reserve funds, fewer surprises, and strong locations in mature neighbourhoods. They had often avoided the ultra-dense layouts or new, untested design details sometimes seen in later buildings. For value, they can offer a sweet spot. Built to solid 20th-century standards before the peak cost-cutting era, yet not yet at the ultra-high maintenance stage of much older stock. These residences represent a proven choice for discerning buyers and investors seeking reliability, enduring quality, and long-term peace of mind in Toronto’s competitive condo market. When shopping today, look closely at buildings from 1985 to 2000. Overall, the condominiums from 1985 to 2000 had been built right, before the shortcuts had taken hold.

VERY IMPORTANT NOTE:

Palace Pier, 2045 Lake Shore Blvd W, was built in 1978, which was before the 1985 Building Code update.

Palace Place, 1 Palace Pier Court, had been built in 1993, which had followed this critical update to the Building Code.

As a result, Palace Place is considered a much better-built condominium residence with stronger long-term durability.

For more: https://palaceplace.com/who-built-palace-place/

Also, for more: https://palaceplace.com/did-you-know-what-do-the-statue-of-liberty-and-palace-place-have-in-common/

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.

E: LDALINDA@DALINDA.NET • TEL: 416-725-7170

Luke Dalinda, Realtor. Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage.

On June 29, 2026, the Royal Bank of Canada had released a study that suggests that it is now easier to buy a condo in Toronto. According to RBC, the condo affordability measure had improved to 35.2 percent of median household income in Q1 2026, returning near pre-pandemic levels due to lower prices and rising incomes. Toronto condo prices have declined sharply in recent years and are back to Q4 2019 levels.

Read the report here: https://www.rbc.com/en/economics/canadian-analysis/canadian-housing/housing-affordability/improving-housing-affordability-continues-in-most-canadian-major-markets/

Toronto condo icon, Brad J. Lamb has stated, “Prices are probably 50 per cent below where they should be. It’s never going to be cheaper than now, yet people don’t think it’s cheap enough.”

As for the RBC study, it is important to note that this had occurred even as consumer insolvencies had reached record highs not seen since 2009 because RBC’s measure focuses on median household data rather than financial distress indicators.

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.

E: LDALINDA@DALINDA.NET • TEL: 416-725-7170

Luke Dalinda, Realtor. Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage.

Today, June 10, 2026, the Bank of Canada has announced that it is holding its rate again for the fifth consecutive time at 2.25%, keeping the rate that it had first established on October 29, 2025.

As we have maintained since April 2025, the Canadian economy would gain significant stability from a robust trade agreement with the United States, provided the government can overcome its ineffective negotiation efforts. The USA buys over 75% of Canada’s exports, making the USA Canada’s biggest and most important trade partner. The deadline for the review of USMCA is on July 1, 2026. If Canada does not have a deal by then, it will trigger immense uncertainty for the Canadian economy, as the USMCA will then default to annual reviews.

The USA has almost reached a deal with Mexico. It has not even confirmed any talks with Canada yet. In fact, President Trump had stated in a press briefing on June 10, 2026 that “It was a great deal for one reason: it gave the right to terminate. It was very important that we be able to do that. So we’re talking to them. We’ll see if we do something.”

Despite the Bank of Canada Governor’s dangerous posturing today by having stated, “Recession is not the word I would use,” the salient facts are that Canada has slipped into a recession, mortgage delinquencies are at record highs, and personal debt has increased by over 32%.

This indicates that the market may face increased headwinds shortly.

In Humber Bay Shores, active inventory has risen sharply from 197 active listings this spring to over 257 now, signalling softening demand and potential downward pressure on prices in the coming months.

The best rates that we have seen so far:

3 year fixed at 4.09% (decreased from 4.19% in April 2026)

5 year variable at 3.60%

The next scheduled date for announcing the overnight rate target is July 15, 2026.

E: LDALINDA@DALINDA.NET • TEL: 416-725-7170

Be sure that you SUBSCRIBE to this blog to be the first to know of new listings even before they hit MLS! Stay tuned. The Subscribe link is to the left of this post.

Palace Place, 1 Palace Pier Court, and Palace Pier, 2045 Lake Shore Boulevard West, in Humber Bay Shores.

Follow @LukeDalinda on Instagram!

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.

Luke Dalinda, Realtor. Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage.

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.

Today, April 29, 2026, the Bank of Canada has announced that it is holding its rate again for the fourth time at 2.25%, keeping the rate that it had first established on October 29, 2025.

The Bank of Canada has noted that housing activity declined in late 2025 and continues to face headwinds from economic uncertainty about tariffs and trade relations with the United States, affordability challenges, and slower population growth. While consumer spending is supporting the broader economy, high uncertainty around U.S. tariffs and the Middle East conflict is weighing on business investment and exports. Overall Canadian GDP growth is forecast at a modest 1.2% for 2026, gradually picking up in 2027–2028. 

The Canadian economy would gain significant stability from a robust trade agreement with the United States, provided the government can overcome its ineffective negotiation efforts.

Inflation Rising but Expected to Ease
CPI inflation had risen to 2.4% in March 2026, driven largely by higher gasoline prices from the Iran conflict. The Bank expects inflation to climb further in April (around 3%) before trending back toward the 2% target by early 2027, assuming oil prices moderate. Core inflation remains well-behaved just above 2%.

What This Means for Real Estate
Although the Bank of Canada held its key policy rate steady at 2.25% today for the fourth consecutive meeting, this pause is likely temporary. Inflation has already climbed to 2.4% and is forecast to reach about 3% in April, driven by sharply higher energy prices from the Middle East conflict. The Bank has explicitly stated it “will not let higher energy prices become persistent inflation” and stands “ready to respond as needed.”

For homebuyers, this means now is the time to buy. Rates are still at attractive levels after months of holds, but they will undoubtedly increase in the coming months as the Bank acts to keep inflation in check. Securing a mortgage today lets you lock in today’s lower borrowing costs before they rise, protecting you from higher monthly payments later. With housing activity already soft and affordability pressures mounting, acting now positions you ahead of the curve.

While this news should spur activity, sellers should recognize the need for their properties to be the ones chosen by buyers. Competitive pricing is essential.

In Humber Bay Shores, active inventory has fallen from over 300 active listings this summer to just 197 now, signalling renewed buyer confidence albeit at lower prices.

The best rates that we have seen so far:

3 year fixed at 4.19% (increased from 3.99% in March 2026)

5 year variable at 3.60%

The next scheduled date for announcing the overnight rate target is June 10, 2026.

E: LDALINDA@DALINDA.NET • TEL: 416-725-7170

Be sure that you SUBSCRIBE to this blog to be the first to know of new listings even before they hit MLS! Stay tuned. The Subscribe link is to the left of this post.

Palace Place, 1 Palace Pier Court, and Palace Pier, 2045 Lake Shore Boulevard West, in Humber Bay Shores.

Follow @LukeDalinda on Instagram!

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.

Luke Dalinda, Realtor. Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage.

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.

Check out the amazing deals at Palace Place and Waterford:

Contact Luke Dalinda now for your exclusive opportunity to tour these incredible opportunities! E: LDALINDA@DALINDA.NET • TEL: 416-725-7170

Be sure that you SUBSCRIBE to this blog to be the first to know of new listings even before they hit MLS! Stay tuned. The Subscribe link is to the left of this post.

Palace Place, 1 Palace Pier Court, and Palace Pier, 2045 Lake Shore Boulevard West, in Humber Bay Shores.

Follow @LukeDalinda on Instagram!

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.

E: LDALINDA@DALINDA.NET • TEL: 416-725-7170

Luke Dalinda, Realtor. Royal LePage Real Estate Services Ltd., Brokerage.

View all current and past Palace Place listings for sale here.