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The true cost of online grocery delivery; would-be vacationers want refunds: CBC's Marketplace Cheat Sheet – CBC News

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3 years ago

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Miss something this week? Don’t panic. CBC’s Marketplace rounds up the consumer and health news you need.

Want this in your inbox? Get the Marketplace newsletter every Friday.

Ordering groceries on Instacart? Watch out for hidden fees

Is there a cost to the convenience of online grocery delivery services like Instacart? 

To find out, Marketplace did a spot check, comparing the costs of buying groceries at Walmart, Costco and Loblaws in-store and on the Instacart app.

While the prices at Walmart were the same in-store as they were on the Instacart app, Marketplace producers discovered substantial hidden markups at Costco and Loblaws. 

Costco and Loblaws told Marketplace that customers get a better deal when ordering directly from their website, and that Instacart keeps the money made from the markups. Instacart told us retailers set the prices on their app and it’s up to consumers to look up those pricing policies. Read more

Delivery deal or real rip-off?

2 days ago

Duration 22:30

Investigating hidden mark-ups and missed sales on Instacart, plus testing HelloFresh, Chefs Plate, and Goodfood. 22:30

Travellers ‘out of luck’ as they seek refunds for COVID cancellations

It’s a situation that’s all too familiar by now for many would-be travellers: rapidly changing COVID-19 travel regulations leading to cancelled trips and postponed vacations.

But the fight to get refunds from travel companies has been even more frustrating than mislaid plans for some Canadians.

Many vacationers who’d planned to soak up the sun overseas this winter say heeding health and government officials’ advice has led to an uphill battle with these companies for reimbursement. Read more

While some people might have hoped to be soaking up the sun on a beach right now, they’re instead cancelling their plans due to the Omicron variant of COVID-19 — and are also facing a battle to get reimbursed. (Salimah Shivji/CBC)

Ottawa still hasn’t delivered on promise to test all travellers entering Canada from outside the U.S.

Despite announcing almost six weeks ago that all travellers entering Canada from outside the U.S. would soon be required to take a COVID-19 molecular test upon arrival, Ottawa is still not testing everyone.

Marcela Hart says she was surprised when she and her husband — both fully vaccinated — weren’t selected for an arrival test after flying to Toronto from Mexico on Dec. 26. 

“We did have an unvaccinated child with us. We just kind of assumed we would be — almost — a target to get tested,” she said.

The Public Health Agency of Canada did not address questions about why it’s taking so long to shift to testing all non-U.S. foreign arrivals.

But spokesperson André Gagnon says the government has “significantly increased” arrival testing resources this month, to the point where it can now administer more than 20,000 tests daily at airports. Read more

Ottawa is still only randomly testing fully vaccinated travellers upon arrival, despite announcing in November that all non-U.S. foreign arrivals would — within days — be required to take a COVID-19 test. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)

What else is going on?

The pandemic is changing how restaurants do business — and it might be for good
Focus on takeout and delivery will mean smaller restaurants, with less face-to-face contact. 

Some Save on Foods combo meals recalled due to salmonella risk
Lemon chicken, sweet and sour pork, ginger beef and honey garlic chicken meals affected.

Passengers on Sunwing party plane could face jail time, thousands in fines
Group included Quebec influencers, reality show stars heading to Mexico.

Critics, industry call on Ottawa to reconsider trucker vaccine mandate to protect supply chains
Conservatives, trucking industry say mandate will damage Canada’s already fragile supply chains.

Marketplace needs your help

Do you get harassing phone calls demanding you owe the CRA money for unpaid taxes? Or callers claiming you’ve got a virus and need tech support? If so, we want to hear from you! We’re hoping you can send us a selfie video detailing your experience so we may use it in our show! Email the video to us at  marketplace@cbc.ca. 

Watch this week’s episode of Marketplace and catch up on past episodes anytime on CBC Gem.

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Carry On Canadian Business. Carry On!

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8 hours ago

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October 22, 2024

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business to start in Canada

Human Resources Officers must be very busy these days what with the general turnover of employees in our retail and business sectors. It is hard enough to find skilled people let alone potential employees willing to be trained. Then after the training, a few weeks go by then they come to you and ask for a raise. You refuse as there simply is no excess money in the budget and away they fly to wherever they come from, trained but not willing to put in the time to achieve that wanted raise.

I have had potentials come in and we give them a test to see if they do indeed know how to weld, polish or work with wood. 2-10 we hire, and one of those is gone in a week or two. Ask that they want overtime, and their laughter leaving the building is loud and unsettling. Housing starts are doing well but way behind because those trades needed to finish a project simply don’t come to the site, with delay after delay. Some people’s attitudes are just too funny. A recent graduate from a Ivy League university came in for an interview. The position was mid-management potential, but when we told them a three month period was needed and then they would make the big bucks they disappeared as fast as they arrived.

Government agencies are really no help, sending us people unsuited or unwilling to carry out the jobs we offer. Handing money over to staffing firms whose referrals are weak and ineffectual. Perhaps with the Fall and Winter upon us, these folks will have to find work and stop playing on the golf course or cottaging away. Tried to hire new arrivals in Canada but it is truly difficult to find someone who has a real identity card and is approved to live and work here. Who do we hire? Several years ago my father’s firm was rocking and rolling with all sorts of work. It was a summer day when the immigration officers arrived and 30+ employees hit the bricks almost immediately. The investigation that followed had threats of fines thrown at us by the officials. Good thing we kept excellent records, photos and digital copies. We had to prove the illegal documents given to us were as good as the real McCoy.

Restauranteurs, builders, manufacturers, finishers, trades-based firms, and warehousing are all suspect in hiring illegals, yet that becomes secondary as Toronto increases its minimum wage again bringing our payroll up another $120,000. Survival in Canada’s financial and business sectors is questionable for many. Good luck Chuck!. at least your carbon tax refund check should be arriving soon.

Steven Kaszab
Bradford, Ontario
skaszab@yahoo.ca

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Imperial to cut prices in NWT community after low river prevented resupply by barges

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11 hours ago

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October 22, 2024

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NORMAN WELLS, N.W.T. – Imperial Oil says it will temporarily reduce its fuel prices in a Northwest Territories community that has seen costs skyrocket due to low water on the Mackenzie River forcing the cancellation of the summer barge resupply season.

Imperial says in a Facebook post it will cut the air transportation portion that’s included in its wholesale price in Norman Wells for diesel fuel, or heating oil, from $3.38 per litre to $1.69 per litre, starting Tuesday.

The air transportation increase, it further states, will be implemented over a longer period.

It says Imperial is closely monitoring how much fuel needs to be airlifted to the Norman Wells area to prevent runouts until the winter road season begins and supplies can be replenished.

Gasoline and heating fuel prices approached $5 a litre at the start of this month.

Norman Wells’ town council declared a local emergency on humanitarian grounds last week as some of its 700 residents said they were facing monthly fuel bills coming to more than $5,000.

“The wholesale price increase that Imperial has applied is strictly to cover the air transportation costs. There is no Imperial profit margin included on the wholesale price. Imperial does not set prices at the retail level,” Imperial’s statement on Monday said.

The statement further said Imperial is working closely with the Northwest Territories government on ways to help residents in the near term.

“Imperial Oil’s decision to lower the price of home heating fuel offers immediate relief to residents facing financial pressures. This step reflects a swift response by Imperial Oil to discussions with the GNWT and will help ease short-term financial burdens on residents,” Caroline Wawzonek, Deputy Premier and Minister of Finance and Infrastructure, said in a news release Monday.

Wawzonek also noted the Territories government has supported the community with implementation of a fund supporting businesses and communities impacted by barge cancellations. She said there have also been increases to the Senior Home Heating Subsidy in Norman Wells, and continued support for heating costs for eligible Income Assistance recipients.

Additionally, she said the government has donated $150,000 to the Norman Wells food bank.

In its declaration of a state of emergency, the town said the mayor and council recognized the recent hike in fuel prices has strained household budgets, raised transportation costs, and affected local businesses.

It added that for the next three months, water and sewer service fees will be waived for all residents and businesses.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 21, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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U.S. vote has Canadian business leaders worried about protectionist policies: KPMG

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11 hours ago

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October 22, 2024

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TORONTO – A new report says many Canadian business leaders are worried about economic uncertainties related to the looming U.S. election.

The survey by KPMG in Canada of 735 small- and medium-sized businesses says 87 per cent fear the Canadian economy could become “collateral damage” from American protectionist policies that lead to less favourable trade deals and increased tariffs

It says that due to those concerns, 85 per cent of business leaders in Canada polled are reviewing their business strategies to prepare for a change in leadership.

The concerns are primarily being felt by larger Canadian companies and sectors that are highly integrated with the U.S. economy, such as manufacturing, automotive, transportation and warehousing, energy and natural resources, as well as technology, media and telecommunications.

Shaira Nanji, a KPMG Law partner in its tax practice, says the prospect of further changes to economic and trade policies in the U.S. means some Canadian firms will need to look for ways to mitigate added costs and take advantage of potential trade relief provisions to remain competitive.

Both presidential candidates have campaigned on protectionist policies that could cause uncertainty for Canadian trade, and whoever takes the White House will be in charge during the review of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement in 2026.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 22, 2024.

The Canadian Press. All rights reserved.

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