Cookies have a long history, but the first ones didn’t taste much like the treats we enjoy today. According to some sources, the first cookies were made in Rome around the third century B.C. They were thin, hard, bland wafers that were twice baked, and the Romans ate them by dipping them in juice.

Modern cookies may have originated in Persia during the seventh century, when sugar became more common in that region. They became popular across Europe in the 14th century, enjoyed by royalty and peasants alike. One reason for their appeal was that they traveled well in tins and boxes, making them a reliable source of food on trips.

The word “cookie” comes from the Dutch “koekje,” for “little cake.” Cookies arrived in America in the 17th century, in the form of macaroons, gingerbread cookies, and the “jumble,” a hard cookie that combined nuts, sweeteners, and water. The cookies we’re most familiar with, made by creaming butter and sugar, became common in the 18th century.

Some advice is tough to take, especially about money. The Inside website shares one financial planner’s unwelcome words that more people should bear in mind:

1. You’re probably not saving enough money for retirement. Chances are you’re thinking you’ve got enough time to start putting money aside for your later years. Unless you’re already wealthy, you’re probably wrong. Take a look at your income and assets, determine when you want to retire, and calculate realistically how much money you’ll need to live the rest of your life comfortably. If you’ve got children, don’t forget to start saving for college early, too. 

2. You can’t afford that much house. Monthly payments are only part of the expense in owning a home. Taxes, maintenance, repairs, and everything else can add up quickly. Don’t be too eager to buy the biggest house you can get a mortgage for. Get a reasonable loan that you can live with as other expenses come and go. 

3. Be comfortable with risk. The economy and the stock market are uncertain, but you can’t play it safe all the time. Don’t panic when the stock market goes down. Remember that you’re in it for the long haul, and stick to your investment plan. The economy is cyclical, so eventually things should swing back to positive territory.

Canadian seasonally-adjusted retail sales fell 0.6% to $56.6 billion in September. The decline was driven by sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers (-1.6%) as new car sales continued to be impacted by semiconductor chip supply shortages. According to Statistics Canada's survey, just 0.5% of retailers were closed at some point in September. Preliminary estimates, based on roughly 50% of respondents reporting so far to the agency, indicate that retail sales rose 1% in October. 

In BC, sales rose 1.1% to a fresh record in September, erasing declines in July and August. Compared to the same month last year, retail sales were up 6.7% in the province. Only electronics and appliance sales and building material or garden equipment were not up on a year-over-year basis in September. In the Greater Vancouver region, sales fell 0.6% month-over-month and were up 10.3% year-over-year. 

In September, Canadian e-commerce sales rose from $3 billion to $3.2 billion. As a result, e-commerce increased from 4.9% of total retail sales in August to 5.3% in September. This percentage is lower than at most points since the onset of the pandemic but is elevated compared to pre-pandemic levels. 

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Link:  https://mailchi.mp/bcrea/canadian-retail-sales-september-2021

Changing careers is uncomfortable, but these days it’s sometimes necessary. If you’re contemplating a switch, the Ladders website has some tips for overcoming these common obstacles:

• A new network. Don’t abandon your current network when you move on to a new industry. Find out if any current contacts have connections in the industry you’d like to join. Use them to build a new network.

• Irrelevant skills. You may have to master new skills to make a change. Start by making a list of your current hard and soft skills. Many of these may transfer. Highlight these as you conduct your job search. Emphasize that you’re actively working to fill in your gaps when you talk to employers.

• Money issues. Be prepared to take a pay cut as you start over. Build up your emergency fund ahead of time, pay down your debt, and establish a budget you can stick to in the early days.

Canadian housin

g starts declined for the fifth consecutive month in October, but remain somewhat strong compared to typical pre-pandemic activity. Housing starts decreased by 13.4k to 236.6k units (-5.3% m/m) in October at a seasonally-adjusted annual rate (SAAR). Comparing year-over-year, starts were up modestly from October of 2020 (4.1% y/y). Single-detached housing starts dipped 3.7% in October to 73.4k, while multi-family and others declined 6% to 163.2k (SAAR). 

In British Columbia, starts were essentially unchanged in October, maintaining the level of 35.9k units SAAR in all areas of the province. Single-detached starts dropped 5.6% m/m to 7.5k units while multi-family starts offset this drop with a 5.9% rise to 25k units. Starts in the province remained 9.2% above the levels from October 2020. BC's six-month moving average for starts declined slightly, but remains elevated by historical standards. 

Link: https://mailchi.mp/bcrea/canadian-housing-starts-october-2021

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Canadian prices, as measured by the Consumer Price Index (CPI), rose 4.7% on a year-over-year basis in October, rising at the fastest rate since 2003. On a month-over-month basis, the CPI was up 0.7% in October. The Bank of Canada's preferred measures of core inflation (which use techniques to strip out volatile elements) rose an average of 2.7% year-over-year in October. Major drivers of the year-over-year price increase included transportation prices (+10.1%), shelter (+4.8%) and food prices (+3.8%) partly on continuing supply-chain difficulties. In BC, consumer prices were up 0.43% month-over-month, and up 3.8% on a year-over-year basis. 

Inflation continues to run ahead of the Bank of Canada's 2 per cent target. The driving force behind rising prices in October was a 10% increase in transportation costs due to rising gasoline prices. Inflation from shelter costs was up month-over-month as home prices trended higher after flattening out over the summer. Those categories continue to account for about 60% of the year-over-year rise in consumer prices. We expect this elevated level of inflation to persist through next year before prices begin moderating. The Bank of Canada is clearly concerned about rising consumer prices and have signaled that it will begin raising its policy rate in the second or third quarter of 2022.

Link: https://mailchi.mp/bcrea/canadian-inflation-october-2021

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

The boy looked at it for a minute, then bopped the toy as hard as he could. The funny-looking toy leaned over for a moment, then popped back up with a quick wiggle.

The disconcerted boy took a few steps back, looked up at his father in confusion and then bopped the figure again.

Once again, the balloon figure looked like he would fall over, but popped right back up.

Fall is the perfect time to light up the fireplace with a cozy blaze. If you want to add little fragrance to your hearth, try these types of wood to sweeten your fire:

1. Apple. It not only sweetens the smell, it produces colorful flames.

2. Cherry. Although not as sweet as apple wood, cherry wood still adds a little sugar in the mix.

3. Hickory. Known to many great barbecue grill-meisters, hickory brings in a nice nutty aroma and is a great heat producer.

4. Black birch. Don’t like your fires so sweet? Black birch adds just enough spice with a cinnamon scent.

Vancouver, BC – November, 2021. The British Columbia Real Estate Association (BCREA) reports that a total 9,593 residential unit sales were recorded by the Multiple Listing Service^® (MLS^®) in October 2021, a decrease of 13.7 per cent from October 2020. The average MLS^® residential price in BC was $964,777, an 18.9 per cent increase from $811,307 recorded in October 2020. Total sales dollar volume was $9.3 billion, a 2.6 per cent decline from the same time last year. 

“The story across the province continues to be the record low number of listings,” said BCREA Chief Economist Brendon Ogmundson. “Rising mortgage rates should start to temper sales activity next year, but even with a moderation in demand it will take quite some time for the inventory of homes to return to a healthy level.”

Total active residential listings were down nearly 40 per cent year-over-year in October, falling to an all-time record low for the province. Active listings have now fallen for five consecutive months on a seasonally adjusted basis.

Year-to-date, BC residential sales dollar volume is up 69.7 per cent to $99.6 billion compared to the same period in 2020. Residential unit sales were up 42.8 per cent to 108,798 units, while the average MLS^® residential price was up 18.8 per cent to $915,833. 

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

For the complete news release, including detailed statistics, click here.

Consultant Michael Hargrove uses this exercise frequently in his training sessions: Imagine you are on a 747 flying over the ocean. Halfway through the flight the plane begins experiencing mechanical difficulties. The captain comes on the intercom and explains as calmly as he can that an engine has fallen from the plane, ripping a fuel line. The crew will continue to fly as long as possible until fuel runs low, and then they will attempt a water landing.

Hargrove asks his listeners to write down the name of the one person they would call in the next few minutes, and what they would say.

Then he asks, “So what are you waiting for? Today, make the call.”

Canadian employment grew for the fifth consecutive month in October according to Statistics Canada, inching up by 31,000 to 19.162 million (0.2%, m/m). Canadian employment had recovered to its pre-pandemic level in September and remains above that level in October. Since the prior survey period, proof-of-vaccination initiatives continued to be implemented in workforces across the country while capacity limits were lifted. 

Across Canada, employment gains in retail trade (+72,000) were offset by declines in accommodation and food services (-27,000). The gains in retail trade pushed employment in this sector back to its pre-pandemic level in October. The Canadian unemployment rate declined for a fifth consecutive month to 6.7%, the lowest level since the onset of the pandemic. The unemployment rate is now within 1% of the rate in February of 2020 (5.7%). 

In BC, employment grew by 10,400 to 2.692 million (0.39%, m/m), once again hitting the highest level since the pandemic began. The unemployment rate declined by 0.3 in October to 5.6%, the lowest level since the pandemic began. Only Manitoba has a lower unemployment rate in Canada, while Quebec is tied with BC for the second-lowest rate. 

For more information, please contact: Gino Pezzani.

Link: https://mailchi.mp/bcrea/canadian-employment-october-2021

What feeds your ? The Refinery2 website surveyed their readers on where and when they feel most creative. Here’s what they said:

1. Outside 77%   

2. Alone 72%

3. At home 65% 

4. At night 62% 

5. Running 55% 

6. During yoga 45%               7.Daytime 38% 

8. In a coffee shop 35%       9. In a group 28%