
EQ Bank Tower unveiled, marking ambitious new chapter for Canada's Challenger Bank
TORONTO, May 15, 2025 /CNW/ - EQB Inc., parent company of Equitable Bank, Canada's Challenger Bank ™, is proud to announce the opening of the EQ Bank Tower at 25 Ontario Street, its new national headquarters. Situated in Toronto's vibrant Downtown East, the opening marks Equitable Bank's rapid growth and continued investment in its mission to drive change in Canadian banking to enrich people's lives.
The location reflects Equitable Bank's identity as a digital-first challenger bank, intentionally positioned outside Toronto's traditional banking hub, yet central and accessible to all. Spanning 277,988 square feet across 13 floors of the 24-storey tower, the space features a modern, sustainable design and is intentionally outfitted with furniture and fittings from Canadian manufacturers.
"The EQ Bank Tower is testament to our incredible growth over 50 years in the Canadian market. As this momentum continues, our new headquarters is a meaningful investment in our people and in the infrastructure that we need to deliver on our mission of driving change in Canadian banking to enrich people's lives," said Andrew Moor, president and CEO, EQB. "We're excited to collaborate and innovate in a space that features the best of Canadian design and business. Most of all, we're proud to have a permanent home where we can continue empowering Canadians with the banking services they deserve."
The tower is certified LEED ® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold CS (Core and Shell), with the additional LEED ® ID+C (Interior Design and Construction), LEED ® O+M (Operations and Maintenance), and WELL Building Standard, including the WELL Optimization for Accessibility and Universal Design, certification currently in progress for tenant floors. Every element of the new headquarters was intentionally considered to create a workplace that prioritizes people and purpose, from the lighting designed to support natural circadian rhythms to restorative spaces that promote mental health.
"The EQ Bank Tower has been designed to support our talented Challengers by creating a work environment that inspires creativity, bold thinking and the ambition that's crucial to pursuing untapped opportunities traditional banking has yet to explore," said Gavin Stanley, SVP and CHRO, EQB. "We are more equipped than ever to keep nurturing top talent who are driven by their desire to make a positive impact in the lives of Canadians."
As Equitable Bank enters its next phase of growth, the EQ Bank Tower stands as a symbol of its commitment to people, progress, and a future where all Canadians have access to a more open, innovative and rewarding banking experience.
About EQB Inc.
EQB Inc. (TSX: EQB) is a leading digital financial services company with $132 billion in combined assets under management and administration (as at January 31, 2025). It offers banking services through Equitable Bank, a wholly owned subsidiary and Canada's seventh largest bank by assets, and wealth management through ACM Advisors, a majority owned subsidiary specializing in alternative assets. As Canada's Challenger Bank™, Equitable Bank has a clear mission to drive change in Canadian banking to enrich people's lives. It leverages technology to deliver exceptional personal and commercial banking experiences and services to over 700,000 customers and more than six million credit union members through its businesses. Through its digital EQ Bank platform (eqbank.ca), its customers have named it one of Canada's top banks on the Forbes World's Best Banks list since 2021.
To learn more, please visit eqb.investorroom.com or connect with us on LinkedIn.
SOURCE EQB Inc.
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Links Follow Us Follow us on X: @OTO_Canada Like us on Facebook: @TaxpayersOmbudsperson Subscribe to our electronic mailing list Add our RSS feed to your feed reader Visit our website SOURCE Office of the Taxpayers' Ombudsperson

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2 hours ago
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Signs of a rebound may be emerging in Canada's real estate market after months of declining home prices. While buyer-friendly conditions persist in some markets, many Canadians will have to shell out more for their monthly mortgage payments, a new report shows. The monthly home affordability report by looked at home prices and mortgage rates from 13 Canadian cities. In eight of those cities, mortgage affordability got worse in May. Penelope Graham, mortgage expert at said the buyer-friendly market conditions are unlikely to last for very long. 'While buyers have enjoyed attractive housing affordability conditions throughout the spring, those days may be numbered. The latest May national housing data reveals sales are firming up over the short term,' she said. While mortgage rates remained largely unchanged, rising home prices mean you'd have to spend more money on your monthly mortgage payments, depending on where you live. For most Canadian cities, the annual household income you'd need to get approved for a mortgage has also gone up. Story continues below advertisement In May, the price of the average Canadian home was $691,299. While that is still down 1.8 per cent compared with this time last year, it is an increase of 1.9 per cent compared with April this year. A Royal Bank of Canada report said buyers are expected to dive back into the market as the uncertainty around U.S. tariffs becomes clearer. 'We expect housing market confidence to gradually rebuild as tariff de-escalation lifts some of the uncertainty that hindered activity earlier this year,' RBC economist Robert Hogue said in the report. 1:54 Business Matters: Canada's housing market in holding pattern, CREA data shows Costlier mortgages The data from Ratehub's report is based on a 10 per cent down payment with a 25-year amortization. The city that saw the highest increase in monthly mortgage payments was St. John's, N.L., where someone locking down their mortgage in May would have to pay $45 more and would need an annual household income of $86,450. Story continues below advertisement 'St. John's saw the most significant increase, with $1,690 in additional income required to purchase the average home. This is due to home prices rising ($8,900), the biggest increase of all the cities,' Graham said. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy Halifax also saw affordability worsen, with the average resident paying an additional $38 a month for their mortgage. They would need a household income of $122,830 (an increase of $1,430) to buy a house. Regina (increase of $27) and Montreal (increase of $26) both saw monthly mortgage costs go up. In Regina, you would need an annual household income of $79,350 (an increase of $1,020 since April) and in Montreal, you'd need $124,620 (an increase of $980 since April). After a drop in home prices in April, the price for an average home in Toronto rose $3,400 to $1,012,800 in May. A Torontonian would have to spend $17 more ($5,139 a month) and need an annual household income of $206,500 to be able to afford a home. Winnipeg saw monthly mortgage costs rise by $13 a month to $1,968 and the average Winnipegger would need $88,250 annually to be able to buy a house. Edmonton ($7) and Fredericton ($5) both saw minor increases in monthly mortgage costs. In Edmonton, you'd need an annual household income of $96,670, while in Fredericton, you'd need $78,200. The only city that saw no change in affordability was Calgary. The average home price in the city remained the same as in April ($583,000), as did the monthly mortgage cost ($2,958) and annual income needed to buy a house ($125,170). Story continues below advertisement 2:21 Business Matters: May 'another sleepy month' for homebuyers. Will a rate cut wake them up? Where did affordability improve? 'While the majority of the cities saw affordability worsen, the biggest change was actually in Hamilton, where affordability saw a massive improvement, with $3,480 less income required to purchase the average home,' Graham said. The average home price in Hamilton was $183,100 — a drop of $7,500 since May. Story continues below advertisement A Hamilton homebuyer would need an annual income of $163,020 to be able to buy a house. With a 10 per cent down payment and a 25-year amortization, their monthly mortgage rate came down to $3,973 a month. This means that a Hamilton mortgage buyer who locked down their rate in May would save $93 a month compared with someone who locked it down in April. The decline in home prices comes amid the U.S. trade war and President Donald Trump's 50 per cent tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum. Hamilton is home to major Canadian steel producers and faces growing concerns about the potential for layoffs and plant closures as a result of the tariffs. While Vancouver saw the second biggest decline in home prices, with a decline of $7,500, it remains Canada's most expensive housing market by far, with an average home in May costing $1,177,100. Vancouverites also need the highest annual income of any city in Canada at $237,550 a year. They would also have to pay the highest monthly mortgage of $5,973 with a 10 per cent down payment, although it dropped $38 from April. In May, Victoria came in as the third most expensive housing market in Canada after Vancouver and Toronto, though average home prices dropped to $892,700, with the average homebuyer needing an annual salary of $183,750. Monthly mortgage costs dropped $38 to $4,530 a month. Story continues below advertisement Affordability also improved in the nation's capital, with the average Ottawa home price dropping to $629,800. An Ottawa resident would save $7 on their mortgage payment if they bought in May ($3,196 a month) and would need an annual household income of $134,020 to be able to buy a house.