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The Loonie Hour

Steve Saretsky
The Loonie Hour
Latest episode

264 episodes

  • The Loonie Hour

    Big Six vs Big Crypto: The Fight for Your Deposits | The Loonie Hour Episode 264

    2026-10-16 | 1h 15 mins.
    Today, we're joined by Fraser Matthews, CEO of Netcoins, to discuss the rise of stablecoins, their impact on the banking system, and the future of digital payments. Are stablecoins an existential threat to traditional banks or the railways and bridges connecting traditional finance and the on-chain economy? We also tackle Canada's struggling housing market, stubborn inflation, rising bond yields, and the growing risks facing financial markets.

    Start an investment portfolio that's built to perform with Neighbourhood Holdings!
    For Mortgage Brokers: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour-brokers
    For Investors and Advisors: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour

    Schedule an exploration call with IceCap Asset Management: https://icecapassetmanagement.com/contact/

    ✉️ Media & Real Estate Inquiries: steve@stevesaretsky.com

    Stay up to date with our information -
    📫 My Real Estate Substack:
    https://stevesaretsky.substack.com
    📫 The Loonie Hour Substack:
    https://looniehour.substack.com/about

    📊➡️ Loonie Hour Socials: https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    🎙️ Listen to the Podcast on Your Preferred Platform:
    https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Introduction
    04:02 Canada's Housing Market Outlook
    11:49 Introducing the Future of Finance
    12:48 Fraser Matthews Joins The Show
    20:44 Stablecoin Regulation and Adoption
    21:44 What Are Stablecoins?
    23:13 Why Stablecoins Matter
    24:53 Are Stablecoins a Threat to Banks?
    29:57 Stablecoins and US Treasury Demand
    32:58 Crypto and Money Laundering Concerns
    44:13 The Battle for Bank Deposits
    47:13 The Future of Stablecoins
    52:41 Canadian Stablecoin Developments
    55:30 Tokenized Stocks and Financial Markets
    56:49 AI Agents and Programmable Money
    01:04:10 The Growing Threat to Commercial Banks
    01:06:50 Inflation Surprises to the Upside
    01:09:21 Bond Market Risks
    01:11:11 Could Bonds Stage a Rally?

    Disclaimer:
    The information within our content is not intended to be or construed as investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor before putting a "loonie" into any of these financial markets.

    #LoonieHour #macroeconomics #crypto
  • The Loonie Hour

    Can BC Be Saved? Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson on BC’s $13.8B Deficit

    2026-10-09 | 1h 20 mins.
    British Columbia is facing a record $13.8 billion budget deficit, mounting tax pressures, and a struggling housing market. With the October 24 election approaching, we sit down with B.C. Conservative Leader Lorne Doerkson to discuss the province's fiscal challenges, the NDP's tax policies, housing affordability, stalled development, the rampant crime and drug use, and the future of investment in British Columbia. We also examine the political shakeup in Quebec, rising global bond yields, mounting concerns over government debt, and the Canadian dollar's weakness against the U.S. dollar. Could higher long-term interest rates put even more pressure on Canada's economy and housing market?

    Join Us for The Loonie Hour Investor Series — Live in Ottawa with Ben Rabidoux on October 13th, and Live in Montreal on October 15th!

    Get Your Tickets Here:
    Ottawa - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-loonie-hour-investor-series-with-ben-rabidoux-october-13th-tickets-2000313438341

    Montreal - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/montreal-the-loonie-hour-investor-series-october-15th-tickets-2000498679402

    Start an investment portfolio that's built to perform with Neighbourhood Holdings!
    For Mortgage Brokers: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour-brokers
    For Investors and Advisors: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour

    Schedule an exploration call with IceCap Asset Management: https://icecapassetmanagement.com/contact/

    ✉️ Media & Real Estate Inquiries: steve@stevesaretsky.com

    Stay up to date with our information -
    📫 My Real Estate Substack:
    https://stevesaretsky.substack.com
    📫 The Loonie Hour Substack:
    https://looniehour.substack.com/about

    📊➡️ Loonie Hour Socials: https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    🎙️ Listen to the Podcast on Your Preferred Platform:
    https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Introduction
    07:17 British Columbia's Political and Economic Outlook
    13:29 Lorne Doerkson Joins The Show
    22:48 B.C.'s Record Deficit and Tax Policies
    24:49 Infrastructure Spending and Government Priorities
    26:37 Unsold Condos and B.C.'s Housing Crisis
    30:39 Construction Costs and Housing Affordability
    35:07 Natural Resources and Investment in B.C.
    40:46 Crime, Drugs, and Public Safety
    47:10 B.C. Election Takeaways
    48:30 Quebec's Political Shakeup
    53:10 Population Growth and Immigration
    54:58 The Loonie Hour Live Events
    57:10 Global Bond Yields Continue to Rise
    01:03:41 Government Debt and Rising Borrowing Costs
    01:07:37 Canadian Dollar Under Pressure
    01:14:02 Market Volatility and Investor Positioning
    01:18:12 Closing Remarks

    Disclaimer:
    The information within our content is not intended to be or construed as investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor before putting a "loonie" into any of these financial markets.

    #LoonieHour #macroeconomics #britishcolumbia
  • The Loonie Hour

    Are we Reaching Capitulation in the Bond Market?

    2026-10-02 | 1h 2 mins.
    Bond markets are deteriorating rapidly as yields rise and credit spreads begin to widen across the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Japan. We discuss what tightening financial conditions could mean for housing, equities, the broader economy, as well as the possibility that a short-term recovery in bonds could ultimately prove to be a bear trap. Meanwhile, B.C.’s condo market continues to struggle with thousands of completed and unsold units as developers face mounting pressure. We also discuss Canada’s debt maturity schedule, Saskatchewan's push toward nuclear power, taxes and talent retention, and the renewed debate over immigration and temporary foreign workers.

    Join Us for The Loonie Hour Investor Series — Live in Ottawa with Ben Rabidoux on October 13th, and Live in Montreal on October 15th!

    Get Your Tickets Here:
    Ottawa - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-loonie-hour-investor-series-with-ben-rabidoux-october-13th-tickets-2000313438341

    Montreal - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/montreal-the-loonie-hour-investor-series-october-15th-tickets-2000498679402

    Start an investment portfolio that's built to perform with Neighbourhood Holdings!
    For Mortgage Brokers: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour-brokers
    For Investors and Advisors: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour

    Schedule an exploration call with IceCap Asset Management: https://icecapassetmanagement.com/contact/

    ✉️ Media & Real Estate Inquiries: steve@stevesaretsky.com

    Stay up to date with our information -
    📫 My Real Estate Substack:
    https://stevesaretsky.substack.com
    📫 The Loonie Hour Substack:
    https://looniehour.substack.com/about

    📊➡️ Loonie Hour Socials: https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    🎙️ Listen to the Podcast on Your Preferred Platform:
    https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Introduction
    04:28 Loonie Hour Investor Series
    07:26 B.C. Election & David Eby’s Condo Tax
    10:40 Taxing Unsold New Condos
    12:31 B.C.’s Growing Condo Inventory
    14:39 Developers Cutting Prices & Raising Commissions
    16:19 Why Developers Can’t Simply Slash Prices
    18:02 Bond Stress Meets the Housing Market
    19:49 Loonie Hour Investor Series
    21:39 The Global Bond Selloff
    23:08 High-Yield Credit Spreads Are Moving
    26:12 Is a Bond Market Recovery a Bear Trap?
    27:52 Tightening Financial Conditions
    30:42 Bond Market Warning Signals
    33:55 U.S. Economy Complicates the Rate Outlook
    36:59 Canada’s Coming Debt Maturity Wall
    38:29 Canada Reshapes Its Debt Profile
    40:17 Why U.S. and Canadian Bond Yields Differ
    45:22 Canada Still Doesn’t Have a Budget
    46:58 Saskatchewan Pushes Nuclear Power
    50:04 Canada’s Changing Energy Policy
    51:25 High Taxes & Canadian NHL Teams
    53:45 Canada’s Talent Retention Problem
    54:25 Property Tax Freeze for Seniors
    56:00 Generational Inequality in Canada
    56:22 Canada’s Immigration Debate Returns
    01:01:18 Ottawa & Montreal Events

    Disclaimer:
    The information within our content is not intended to be or construed as investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor before putting a "loonie" into any of these financial markets.

    #LoonieHour #macroeconomics #bondmarket
  • The Loonie Hour

    McDonald's CEO: Food Inflation Is Here to Stay

    2026-09-25 | 1h 10 mins.
    Today, we'll break down the renewed surge in global bond yields and what it could mean for interest rates, mortgages, housing, and the broader economy. Long-term yields are climbing across central banks globally, putting renewered pressure on borrowing costs just as households and businesses faces further challenges. We also discuss Canada's slowing population growth and rental market, mounting stress in US housing and multifamily real estate, weakness beneath the surface of the US consumer, and why companies like McDonald's are warning that sticky, elevated food inflation and flat customer traffic are the "new normal".

    Join Us for The Loonie Hour Investor Series — Live in Ottawa with Ben Rabidoux on October 13th, and Live in Montreal on October 15th!

    Get Your Tickets Here:
    Ottawa - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-loonie-hour-investor-series-with-ben-rabidoux-october-13th-tickets-2000313438341

    Montreal - https://www.eventbrite.com/e/montreal-the-loonie-hour-investor-series-october-15th-tickets-2000498679402

    Start an investment portfolio that's built to perform with Neighbourhood Holdings!
    For Mortgage Brokers: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour-brokers
    For Investors and Advisors: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour

    Check Out True North Mortgage's 40-Year Amortization Plan:
    Visit https://www.truenorthmortgage.ca/ today!

    Schedule an exploration call with IceCap Asset Management: https://icecapassetmanagement.com/contact/

    ✉️ Media & Real Estate Inquiries: steve@stevesaretsky.com

    Stay up to date with our information -
    📫 My Real Estate Substack:
    https://stevesaretsky.substack.com
    📫 The Loonie Hour Substack:
    https://looniehour.substack.com/about

    📊➡️ Loonie Hour Socials: https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    🎙️ Listen to the Podcast on Your Preferred Platform:
    https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Introduction
    07:09 BC Election & Canadian Politics
    18:18 Canada’s Population Growth Slows
    24:44 Canada’s Rental Market & Long-Term Interest Rates
    25:05 Global Bond Yields Surge
    29:34 Bond Market & Mortgage Rates
    35:09 Canadian Mortgage Rates Move Higher
    36:23 US Housing Market Problems
    37:17 US Multifamily Debt Crisis
    40:20 Loonie Hour Investor Series
    43:31 Bank of Canada Rate Hikes
    49:11 Mortgage Renewals & Higher Rates
    51:05 Energy Prices Are Getting Worse
    53:59 US Diesel Export Ban
    58:06 Stock Market Warning Signs
    01:01:00 McDonald’s, Inflation & Consumer Weakness
    01:03:14 US Consumer Confidence Plunges
    01:06:03 The Big Mac Index & Inflation

    Disclaimer:
    The information within our content is not intended to be or construed as investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor before putting a "loonie" into any of these financial markets.

    #LoonieHour #macroeconomics #inflation
  • The Loonie Hour

    Central Banks Commit to Raising Rates into an Energy Crisis

    2026-09-18 | 1h 15 mins.
    Central banks are turning increasingly hawkish as an escalating global energy crisis keeps inflation under pressure. We'll break down why policymakers are committing to higher interest rates even as the underlying inflation problem is increasingly driven by energy supply. They discuss the latest moves from the Fed and European central banks, rising global bond yields, surging oil and fuel costs, and what it could mean for Canadian mortgage rates. Meanwhile, Canada’s housing market remains frozen, with national home sales falling to their lowest year-to-date level since 2003.

    Join Us For The Loonie Hour Investor Series - With Ben Rabidoux, Live In Ottawa on October 13th!

    Get Your Tickets Here:
    https://www.eventbrite.com/e/the-loonie-hour-investor-series-with-ben-rabidoux-october-13th-tickets-2000313438341

    Start an investment portfolio that's built to perform with Neighbourhood Holdings!
    For Mortgage Brokers: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour-brokers
    For Investors and Advisors: https://www.neighbourhood.com/looniehour

    Check Out True North Mortgage's 40-Year Amortization Plan:
    Visit https://www.truenorthmortgage.ca/ today!

    Schedule an exploration call with IceCap Asset Management: https://icecapassetmanagement.com/contact/

    ✉️ Media & Real Estate Inquiries: steve@stevesaretsky.com

    Stay up to date with our information -
    📫 My Real Estate Substack:
    https://stevesaretsky.substack.com
    📫 The Loonie Hour Substack:
    https://looniehour.substack.com/about

    📊➡️ Loonie Hour Socials: https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    🎙️ Listen to the Podcast on Your Preferred Platform:
    https://linktr.ee/looniehour

    Timestamps:
    00:00 Introduction
    06:52 Canada Housing Hits a 23-Year Low
    09:34 Housing Inventory & Cancelled Listings
    11:11 Housing Starts Keep Falling
    13:18 What Happened to the 500,000 Homes?
    14:03 Should Canada Keep the Foreign Buyer Ban?
    18:38 Canada’s Massive Investment Push
    20:16 Canada Cuts Investment Taxes
    22:55 Breaking Down the $500B Investment Commitment
    24:53 Where Are the Foreign Investors?
    27:13 Canada’s Biggest New Investment Projects
    30:27 Did Trump Force Canada to Change Course?
    34:24 Canada Embraces Energy Again
    38:04 Why Investment Will Take Years to Materialize
    42:26 Central Banks Turn Hawkish
    46:22 Could the Bank of Canada Raise Rates?
    48:02 Higher Rates Won’t Fix Energy Inflation
    51:00 Global Bond Markets Under Pressure
    56:12 The Global Energy Crisis Deepens
    58:43 The World Is Running Out of Energy Capacity
    01:01:07 Oil Tanker Costs Explode
    01:02:19 Canadian Mortgage Rates Under Pressure
    01:05:06 Mortgage Arrears Hit a Decade High
    01:06:18 Canada & the European Union
    01:09:49 Canada Already Has an EU Trade Deal
    01:11:03 Europe’s Sovereign Debt Risks
    01:12:28 Would Canadians Actually Move to Europe?

    Disclaimer:
    The information within our content is not intended to be or construed as investment advice. Please consult a professional advisor before putting a "loonie" into any of these financial markets.

    #LoonieHour #macroeconomics #centralbank
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About The Loonie Hour
The Loonie Hour is a Canadian based macro economic podcast covering newsworthy events across the globe and how they will impact Canadians.
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