‘On the brink’: Airlines flee small cities, cutting key links to rest of the country

‘On the brink’: Airlines flee small cities, cutting key links to rest of the country

While Canada’s total domestic passenger numbers now hover at around pre-COVID levels, air travel to smaller communities and even medium-sized cities has withered. (Gander International Airport Authority) From his office overlooking the runway at Gander International Airport, Reg Wright can see all flights in and out of his corner of Newfoundland. But in recent years, … Read more

Loblaw, George Weston to pay $500M for bread price-fixing scheme in record antitrust settlement

Loblaw, George Weston to pay 0M for bread price-fixing scheme in record antitrust settlement

Loblaw Cos. Ltd. and its parent company George Weston Ltd. say they have agreed to pay $500 million to settle a class-action lawsuit regarding their involvement in a bread price-fixing scheme. The class-action case was brought against a group of companies that includes Loblaw and the Weston companies, Metro, Walmart Canada, Giant Tiger, and Sobeys and … Read more

Think your grocery bill is high? Try eating gluten-free

Think your grocery bill is high? Try eating gluten-free

When Ashley Hickey’s seven-year-old son Alex was diagnosed with celiac disease last month, she knew she had to revamp the entire family’s diet to become a gluten-free household. Celiac is a genetic autoimmune disease that causes people to get sick when they consume wheat, rye or barley. Having celiac herself, Hickey is familiar with the … Read more

Every year, StatsCan tweaks how it calculates inflation. What to know about this year’s changes

Every year, StatsCan tweaks how it calculates inflation. What to know about this year’s changes

Whenever you pass through the cash register at a grocery store, the price of everything in your shopping cart — from discounted chicken to strawberries on promotion — is collected by the retailer and sent to Statistics Canada. That’s just one of several ways the data agency tracks the spending reflected in its consumer price index, or CPI: Canada’s most comprehensive … Read more

High-tech London, Ont.-area farm delivers fresh produce all year. Could it be an answer to high grocery costs?

High-tech London, Ont.-area farm delivers fresh produce all year. Could it be an answer to high grocery costs?

Western University researchers are developing a new kind of farm that uses machine-learning algorithms and data analytics to create optimum conditions for growing food anywhere and in any season — producing bigger and better yields while using as little energy and water as possible. The venture comes at a pivotal time in agriculture, with climate change escalating the likelihood of drought and floods capable of decimating harvests, causing consumers to … Read more

High-tech London, Ont.-area farm delivers fresh produce all year. Could it be an answer to high grocery costs?

High-tech London, Ont.-area farm delivers fresh produce all year. Could it be an answer to high grocery costs?

Western University researchers are developing a new kind of farm that uses machine-learning algorithms and data analytics to create optimum conditions for growing food anywhere and in any season — producing bigger and better yields while using as little energy and water as possible. The venture comes at a pivotal time in agriculture, with climate change escalating the likelihood of drought and floods capable of decimating harvests, causing consumers to … Read more

Despite backlash, some Loblaw stores still discount perishable food by 30% — not 50%

Despite backlash, some Loblaw stores still discount perishable food by 30% — not 50%

Although Loblaw has now reinstated its popular 50 per cent discounts on perishable food, some customers say they still feel shortchanged.  That’s because more than 100 Real Canadian Superstores owned by Loblaw continue to discount all food nearing its best-before date by only 30 per cent. “I was disappointed,” said Kim Siever when he recently visited his … Read more

Canada’s inflation rate slowed to 2.8% in February, beating expectations for 2nd month in a row

Canada’s inflation rate slowed to 2.8% in February, beating expectations for 2nd month in a row

Canada’s annual inflation rate cooled to 2.8 per cent in February, helped by slower growth in the cost of cellular services, groceries and internet access services, Statistics Canada said Tuesday. Economists had largely expected the rate to rise to 3.1 per cent and undo some of the year’s early progress. Rent and mortgage interest costs continued to be primary … Read more