Hour 1 of Ottawa Now for Tues. July 23rd, 2024

A new survey says the Bank of Canada’s interest rate cuts did little to change Canadians’ negative perceptions about their personal finances. This comes as the quarterly MNP Consumer Debt Index dropped 6 points from the previous quarter. How many more rate cuts are we expecting this year? What does the way-too-early annual outlook indicate for 2025? Kristy Cameron digs deeper with David Macdonald, a Senior Economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. Meantime, in just a few days, the Ford government will be halting further funding for Ontario’s Wastewater Surveillance Program. Researchers who rely on this data fear that an important weapon against COVID will be terminated, which is especially important as a new wave spreads across the province.