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Rate hike 'may be the last straw' for some homeowners: mortgage broker

With the latest hike bringing Canada's key interest rates to levels not seen since 2001, one mortgage broker is warning that it may be "the last straw" for some homeowners with variable mortgages.

"We started to hear from people in the last three weeks that they are actively considering selling their homes," Ron Butler, a mortgage broker in Ontario told CTV News Channel on Wednesday. "They can't handle the increases."

The Bank of Canada raised its overnight rate by 25 basis points to 4.75 per cent, the first increase since pausing hikes in January.

Butler says homeowners with variable rate mortgages are the most exposed to the latest hike, but those needing renewals will also feel the financial pain.

"All of those people feel the pain," Butler warned. "The question becomes, are they reaching the end of their rope?"

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