There’s something touching about watching a child prepare for their first day of school. The careful selection of the perfect outfit, laid out the night before. The new backpack, zipped and unzipped a dozen times to make sure everything fits just right. The quiet rehearsal of walking to the bus stop, just to be certain they know the way.

Most of us remember our own version of this ritual. Maybe it was practicing a locker combination all summer long, terrified of fumbling with it in a crowded hallway. Or memorizing the route between classrooms, worried about being late and having everyone stare. Those seemingly small preparations felt monumentally important because, to a young mind, they were.

What strikes me now is how we adults sometimes forget what it feels like to face something completely unknown. When did we stop remembering that every “first time” requires a special kind of courage? That six-year-old practicing their walk to the bus stop is doing exactly what we all do when facing the uncertain – finding one small thing they can control and mastering it.

The truth is, we never really outgrow those first–day butterflies. Starting a new job, moving to a new town, walking into a room full of strangers – that same flutter of uncertainty is still there. The same need to prepare, to practice, to feel ready for what we can’t possibly predict.

This creamy, cold, and addictive dish is akin to pad thai being on a beach vacation.

Ingredients (serves 4):

8 oz rice noodles (or soba)

1 can full-fat coconut milk

Juice of 2 limes

1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari

1 tsp honey

1 clove garlic, grated

1–2 tsp chili crisp (Momofuku or Lao Gan Ma)

Toppings: shredded carrots, chopped cucumbers, fresh mint, crushed peanuts, green onions

Instructions:

Cook noodles according to package, then rinse under cold water until fully chilled.

In a bowl, whisk coconut milk, lime juice, soy, honey, garlic, and chili crisp. Toss chilled noodles in the sauce until coated and glossy.

Top with crunchy veggies, mint, peanuts, and extra chili crisp to taste.

Why it works:

• Zero heat required once noodles are
cooked.

• Creamy + spicy + tangy = serious flavor

• Feels indulgent, but still light.

• Easy to make ahead for guests, meal prep, or a late-night “I deserve this” moment.

Canadian real GDP decreased by 0.1 per cent in May, following a 0.1 per cent decrease in April. Service-producing industries remained unchanged, while goods-producing industries edged down by 0.1 per cent. Thirteen out of twenty major industries contracted from the previous month, led by broad-based decreases in retail trade (-1.2 per cent), mining, quarrying, and oil and gas (-1.0 per cent) and public administration (-0.2 per cent). Conversely, both the manufacturing (0.7 per cent) and transportation/warehousing (0.6 per cent) sectors grew following contractions in April. Finally, GDP for real estate offices and agents was up 3.5 per cent month-over-month. Preliminary estimates suggest that real GDP increased by 0.1 per cent in June while remaining unchanged for the second quarter of 2025.

May's GDP data points to continued weakness through the second quarter, as the impact of tariffs continues to filter through the Canadian economy. Following another rate hold yesterday, the Bank of Canada reiterated its concern about propelling core inflation beyond its already elevated level through monetary policy. Therefore, even in the face of ongoing negative growth, the Bank will likely need to see trimmed and median inflation moderate toward its midpoint before cutting the overnight rate. With that being said, attention now shifts towards August's CPI and GDP prints, which will illustrate how the Canadian economy performed in the second quarter relative to the Bank's most recent projections—a comparison that will heavily influence its next policy decision in mid-September.

https://mailchi.mp/bcrea/canadian-economic-growth-may-2025

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

About BCREA’s Housing Monitor Dashboard

The BCREA Economics team has created the Housing Monitor Dashboard to help REALTORS^® monitor BC’s housing market. This dashboard, which is updated monthly, provides up-to-date data on key variables for public education and use. Focuses include: 

• Resale Home Market

• Construction

• Rental Market

• Borrowing Costs

• Other BCREA Data

In the dashboard, the image and data are available for download under each chart, where possible.

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

The Bank of Canada held its overnight policy rate at 2.75 per cent this morning.  In the statement accompanying the decision, the Bank noted that US tariffs are disrupting trade overall, but the economy is showing some resilience. That said, GDP likely declined by 1.5% in the second quarter as the tariff driven import behaviour by US firms that spurred Canadian exports in the first quarter reversed in the second quarter. Moreover, uncertainty is restraining business and household spending, and labour market conditions are weakening in sectors affected by trade. On inflation, the Bank sees underlying inflation trending around 2.5% but with risks of upward pressure due to tariffs.

Without the added risk of tariff driven inflation, the Bank of Canada would almost certainly be lowering rates in response to a clearly weakening economy that is showing signs of excess supply. However, core inflation continues to trend out of the Bank of Canada's comfort zone on both a 12-month and 3-month basis and the possibility of escalating tariffs is prompting the Bank to be extra cautious. While we expect the Bank will lower rates at its September meeting, that call is at odds with financial markets that are currently pricing in a 2.75% overnight rate for the remainder of the year.  Those expectations are being reflected in 5-year bond yields, which have been trending solidly over 3% for the last week which unfortunately will put some upward pressure on 5-year fixed mortgage rates.

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Before backyard patios and central AC became the norm, life happened on the front porch, which was part living room, part stage, and part neighborhood watch—minus the group text.

During the late 1800s and early 1900s, as American homes shifted from vertical rowhouses to horizontal bungalows, the front porch emerged as a symbol of warmth, hospitality, and social standing.

According to Smithsonian Magazine, porches became a national obsession—“an outdoor room that served as a threshold between public and private life.”

They were cooling centers during summer, gathering spaces during the evening and, according to an 1890 article in Ladies’ Home Journal, “a necessary room in every well-appointed house.”

But everything shifted after WWII. As Smithsonian Magazine noted, air conditioning, television, and the postwar push toward privacy moved Americans inside. Suburbs favored backyards over porches. We swapped waving for fencing.

And yet, something about the front porch stuck. It shows up in our design choices, our Zillow saves, and our quiet desire for stillness after a loud, screen-filled day. Even the rise of Ring cameras and Adirondack chairs is a modern remix of an old idea: watching the world go by from a few feet above the sidewalk.

Here’s a question you might not have considered: Is 100,000-year-old glacier ice better than the ice that’s in your freezer?

Thanks to a startup company called Arctic Ice, you can find out. For $100, you get six hand-carved ice spheres made from ancient Greenland icebergs. The ice is collected from a fjord in western Greenland, shipped to Dubai, and sculpted into perfectly clear spheres.

This ice isn’t just cold, it’s pristine. With fewer air bubbles and impurities, it melts more slowly and adds a touch of rarity to any moment it’s used.

According to customers of The Wall Street Journal, the glacier ice is pure, melts slowly and is visually striking, all of which proves that even ice can be a luxury.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 75 percent of older adults experience balance issues.

Balance is your body’s ability to control its center of gravity over your base of support— usually your feet— whether that’s one foot, two feet, or two feet and a cane. It relies on multiple systems working together, including your vision, depth perception, muscle strength, and ability to see in low light or to notice visual contrast.

The good news is you can improve your balance, along with your confidence and mobility. The Mayo Clinic recommends making balance training a regular part of your fitness routine.

Here are a few simple ways to get started:

• Do one-foot stands: Hold onto the back of a sturdy chair and lift one foot off the ground. Try to hold it for a few seconds. Repeat ten 10 times on each side. As you improve, reduce support by using one hand and eventually one finger.

• Perform high-knee walking: Walk in a straight line, lifting your knees high with each step and extending your arms for balance.

• Try Tai Chi: This gentle, slow-moving exercise is proven to improve stability and reduce the risk of falling.

• Balance during daily tasks: Stand on one foot while brushing your teeth or washing dishes.

If you lived through the mid-20th century, you might remember the bold color pairing of avocado green
and mustard yellow that now screams "vintage." For those who were born during the 21st century, those
hues are making a fresh and stylish comeback.

According to Living Etc., the earthy tones of the 1970s are trending again. Think mustard yellow,
avocado green, burnt orange, chocolate brown, and deep purple. Today’s designers are reimagining these retro shades in modern ways, often by using neutral walls as a backdrop and letting the colors pop through furniture, textiles, and accents.

Even the infamous avocado bathroom of the ‘60s and ‘70s is returning, and this time with a sleek twist. Clean lines and geometric designs have replaced floral patterns. Expect to see bold greens, even on bathtubs, giving a nostalgic nod to the past with a distinctly modern vibe.