McGill University says encampment at downtown campus being dismantled

OTTAWA – Statistics Canada has changed the way it tracks the price of wireless plans in an effort to capture a more accurate picture of what Canadians are paying when it calculates the inflation rate.

The agency has been using web-collected data on the advertised cost of plans based on a set of profiles designed to reflect how households use their devices.

However, Statistics Canada has now started using actual sales data from participating wireless companies to help build a picture of the changing cost of wireless plans.

The price for cellular services in August was down 12.8 per cent compared with a year earlier, based on the agency’s report Tuesday.

However, Statistics Canada has said caution should be used when interpreting the year-over-year move for the first 12 months following the change.

The cellular services price index is part of the household operations, furnishings and equipment index. It represents 1.22 per cent of the CPI basket based on 2023 expenditures.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

OTTAWA – Inflation has come down from its highs, and groceries are no exception.

Statistics Canada reported on Tuesday that grocery prices in August rose 2.4 per cent from the year before, a far cry from their peak of 11.4 per cent in late 2022 and early 2023.

Overall annual inflation was two per cent in August, the slowest pace since February 2021.

As Canadians grapple with double-digit increases in grocery prices over just a few years, here are some of the food items still on the rise, and the ones that are seeing prices move lower.

Meat

Prices for meat rose 2.9 per cent in August compared with a year ago, led by beef (7.4 per cent) and pork (8.7 per cent). Chicken rose more slowly at 2.4 per cent.

Meanwhile, prices for fish and other seafood were slightly down by 1.8 per cent. Canned salmon saw a particular decline, down 7.1 per cent, as did shrimp and prawns, down 7.3 per cent.

Prices for processed meat declined slightly, with prices for ham down three per cent while bacon prices rose 8.6 per cent.

Dairy and eggs

Overall prices for dairy products rose 3.3 per cent, while fresh milk was up 2.8 per cent and cheese by 2.3 per cent. Butter prices declined 1.7 per cent.

The price of eggs rose 3.4 per cent.

Produce

Prices for fresh fruit rose 1.5 per cent, though oranges saw prices fall 6.6 per cent and the price of grapes rose 7.6 per cent.

Prices for fresh vegetables rose faster than fruit at 4.4 per cent. Certain items saw double-digit price increases, such as onions (15.9 per cent) and peppers (11.6 per cent). Lettuce was up by 4.6 per cent, and tomatoes by 5.3 per cent.

Other

Bakery product prices were up 1.2 per cent, with cookies and crackers rising 6.6 per cent even as prices for bread, rolls and buns were down 1.5 per cent.

Edible fats and oils, not including margarine, rose by double digits at 11.4 per cent in August.

Sugar and syrup rose 2.1 per cent, while coffee declined one per cent and non-alcoholic beverages rose 6.3 per cent.

Prices for restaurant food rose faster than grocery prices, at 3.4 per cent.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

HALIFAX – Nova Scotia’s justice minister has released a set of 39 standards for all police services in the province including the RCMP.

Barbara Adams says the new standards are in response to recommendations made by the commission of inquiry that investigated the mass shooting in Nova Scotia that claimed the lives of 22 people in April 2020.

Adams says the standards, which are being updated for the first time since 2003, are designed to ensure the effective delivery of policing services across the province.

The standards govern five areas of policing, including critical incident response, use of force, police investigations, service response and records management.

Adams also issued a ministerial directive that requires all police forces to comply with the standards.

The minister says a public safety audit unit will also be created to ensure police forces are in compliance with the standards.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.