Fast Facts Friday: January 5, 2024

Catch up on the latest facts and read more via the links below in case you missed them this week!

1. In the third quarter of 2023, mortgage interest payments decreased 3.6% compared with the previous quarter. - The Daily — National balance sheet and financial flow accounts, third quarter 2023 
2. On a seasonally adjusted basis, sales in food service and drinking places subsector were up 1.0% to $7.8 billion in October 2023, compared with the previous month. - StatsCAN Plus — Full-service restaurants lead sales increase at food and drinking places in October 
3. In Canada, $26.1 billion worth of alcoholic beverages were sold in the fiscal year ending March 31, 2022. - The Daily — Control and sale of alcoholic beverages and cannabis, April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022
4. The sum of Canada’s national wealth and net foreign asset position remained nearly unchanged in the third quarter of 2023, at $18,352.6 billion. - The Daily — National balance sheet and financial flow accounts, third quarter 2023
5. In 2022, 7.4% of Canadians reported having a seeing disability. For more data on persons with disabilities in Canada - Accessibility statistics
6. Great news for anyone making resolutions to exercise more: the fitness industry bounced back with strength in 2022, with higher profits and an increased number of locations across Canada! - StatsCAN Plus — Working out the numbers for your gym resolution 
7. Employment was virtually unchanged in December 2023, and the unemployment rate held steady at 5.8%. - The Daily — Labour Force Survey, December 2023