New director to push consumer-friendly innovation at ADR's complaint body
But consumers are more optimistic about current conditions than they are about the near future
StatsCan's early estimate suggests retailers saw sales fall in December, though, at the height of the holiday shopping season
Higher spending means the central bank may announce a rate hike sooner than planned
Higher gas prices drove the increase
The December reading is a sharp decline from last month and far worse than economists had expected
Mortgages and car loans drove debt levels in Q3
The decline reflected a big drop in consumer expectations for income, business and labour market conditions
Prices for used vehicles saw largest monthly gain since 1969
The pandemic has accelerated the shift away from many brick-and-mortar outlets