TORONTO – Inflation falls, prices rise: the paradox continues. The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) for May 2023 shows that the increase is 3.4% year-on-year, one point less than the 4.4% increase in April: according to Statistics Canada, the reduction – is the result of falling gas prices. (more…)
TORONTO – Canada’s 13 premiers say they “expect” to get the federal government to raise its health care funding ratio to 35%: the joint statement came on Monday, a week before the meeting with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau scheduled for February 7th. The premiers were clear: they want the result of that meeting to be an increase in Canada Health Transfer of about $28 billion from the current $45.2 billion. (more…)
TORONTO – Said and done. Bank of Canada raised the interest rate by another 0.50, taking it from 3.25 to 3.75 percent. Since last March, the central bank has raised the reference rate six times, “with the aim of combating inflation and bringing it back to the 2% target”, as the central bank has always maintained. A goal that is far from being achieved, as the Bank of Canada admits in the statement published today on its website (here). (more…)
TORONTO – The energy crisis also affects Canada. And the “superbills” that are already damaging Italians (in Italy bills in recent months have doubled and in some cases tripled) are also on their way here: with the winter just around the corner, Canadians will have to expect very high “bills” for natural gas or electricity, with increases between 50 and 100%. Some consumers may see their bills rise as high as 300%, while others may see minimal increases, but the overall trend is clear, according to Joel MacDonald, founder of EnergyRates.ca (more…)
TORONTO – The Bank of Canada raised the interest rate by another 0.75 basis points, bringing it to 3.25 percent from 2.5 percent. It’s yet another in a series of hikes that began in March: since then, the Canadian central bank has raised the key rate by 3.00 basis points, at a pace not seen since the mid-1990s. (more…)