What changed lately in Halifax, Toronto and Calgary, from official and trusted sources.
The OINP changed how Canadian work earnings are scored in the Ontario Workforce Priority stream, effective October 5. Registrants with CRA-verified earnings of $80,000 or more in any single year within the past five years now get 10 points. The change applies automatically to existing registrations.
A Rentals.ca and Urbanation report found average asking rents in Canada fell 4.2 per cent year over year in September, the 24th straight monthly drop. In Ontario, average rents were down 4.8 per cent. Toronto rents recently hit a five-year low but have edged up over the past six months.
Advance voting for Toronto's municipal election runs October 6 to 11, and election day is October 26. Voters must be Canadian citizens aged 18 or older who live in Toronto or own or rent property in the city. Permanent and temporary residents cannot vote in this election.
Ontario's general minimum wage went up to $17.95 an hour on October 1, 2026. The province says this is the second-highest rate among the provinces. It affects minimum-wage workers across Ontario.
Changes to Ontario's residential tenancy rules took effect on September 21, 2026. The notice period for unpaid rent drops from 14 days to seven for most tenancies, and landlords who give 120 days' notice for their own use no longer owe compensation. The changes affect all renters and landlords in Ontario.
IRCC introduced a temporary measure that lets eligible work permit holders already in Canada study for up to six months without a study permit, as long as their work permit is still valid. Full-time study still needs a study permit. The measure ends December 31, 2027.
In Statistics Canada's August labour data, Toronto's unemployment rate was 6.8 per cent, unchanged from July, while the national rate was 6.4 per cent. City figures are three-month moving averages from small samples, so they can swing a lot.
Federal data show new international student arrivals in the first half of 2026 well below Ottawa's annual target. Ontario colleges have suspended hundreds of programs, Centennial College alone 61 over two years. Proof-of-funds requirements for single study permit applicants outside Quebec went up for applications submitted from September 1.
On August 4, Ontario opened its Expression of Interest portal for the new Ontario Workforce Priority stream, which replaced the eight earlier OINP streams that closed in June 2026. The portal covers job offers in all TEER categories. It affects foreign workers and international graduates in Ontario who want provincial nomination for permanent residence.
For July 2026 to June 2027, the Canada Child Benefit rose to a maximum of $8,157 per child under 6 and $6,883 per child aged 6 to 17. Amounts depend on family income and the children's ages. More than 1.4 million Ontario families receive the benefit.
IRCC has paused new intake under the Parents and Grandparents Program and will not accept new interest-to-sponsor forms until further notice. Applications already submitted will still be processed, with up to 15,000 admissions planned for 2026. The super visa for visiting parents and grandparents is not affected.
Summaries are written by MoreLife. Always check the original source before making decisions.
