Canada’s 2023 Budget and the Fall of Silicon Valley Bank

Welcome back to Make Money Count, the podcast by the best mortgage brokers in the GTA, Cannect Home Financing. In this latest episode, we discuss the details of the Canadian 2023 Budget Announcement and the fall of Silicon Valley Bank. Buckle up, because it's a wild ride!

Silicon Valley Bank grew its deposits significantly, largely due to the tech companies and venture capitalists in Silicon Valley. They needed to put that capital to work to earn a yield on those deposits, so they invested in what they perceived to be low-risk bonds. However, when deposit holders wanted to withdraw their money, the bank had to liquidate those bonds, which resulted in a loss. This loss was so significant that it exceeded the bank's market capitalization, putting the bank in a vulnerable position.

Peter Thiel, a well-known venture capitalist, instructed companies to take their money out of the bank, which led to a run on the bank as word got out. The FDIC backstopped the bank, which meant that depositors were not supposed to lose their money, but anything over $250,000 was supposed to be gone. However, the FDIC is a fund paid into by banks, not taxpayers, and the decision was made to backstop all deposits.

The main takeaway from this crisis is that banks can be vulnerable if they don't have a sufficient capital buffer to absorb losses from their investments. Additionally, media outlets like CNBC may not always provide information that helps predict market events, as they may only report on events after they happen.

The Canadian 2023 budget has been criticized by some, including Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, who called it a "spending bonanza" that will fuel inflation and harm taxpayers. Others have criticized the budget for not addressing the housing crisis in Canada, which has become a pressing issue in many urban centers. The Residential Construction Council of Ontario, for example, said that the budget does not fully address the systemic problems delaying the construction of much-needed housing.

Overall, the 2023 Canadian federal budget is a bold attempt to address some of the most pressing issues facing the country today. While it may not be perfect, it will be interesting to see how these measures play out over the coming years.

We dive into all these topics and more on the latest episode of Make Money Count. Be sure to subscribe on your favorite platform!