Middle East Conflict & Strait of Hormuz Risk: The World’s Most Critical Oil Chokepoint

Middle East Conflict & Strait of Hormuz Risk: The World’s Most Critical Oil Chokepoint

Rising tensions in the Middle East have once again drawn global attention to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the most strategically important maritime passages in the world. The narrow waterway connects the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, serving as the primary export route for oil from major producers including Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, and Iran.

Canada’s Housing Affordability Crisis: Policy Failure or Supply Shock?

Canada’s Housing Affordability Crisis: Policy Failure or Supply Shock?

Canada’s housing affordability challenge has evolved from a cyclical imbalance into a structural economic issue. Home prices and rents surged dramatically following the pandemic, but even as interest rates rose sharply, affordability has not meaningfully improved. This raises a central policy question: Is Canada’s housing crisis primarily the result of policy missteps, or is it fundamentally a supply shock?