Skip to main content

Featured

How the Strait of Hormuz Crisis Is Hitting Your Wallet Right Now

Published May 17, 2026  |  Category: Oil Prices & Energy  |  By MoneySavings.ca If you've winced lately at the gas pump or noticed your grocery bill creeping up, you're not imagining it. A geopolitical crisis unfolding halfway around the world — at a narrow strip of water between Iran and Oman — is directly squeezing Canadian budgets. Here's everything you need to know, and what you can do about it. What Is the Strait of Hormuz? The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow waterway just 33 kilometres wide at its tightest point, connecting the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. Despite its modest size, it is the world's single most critical energy chokepoint. Before this crisis, roughly 20 million barrels of oil moved through it every single day — about 20% of all the world's seaborne oil supply, plus significant volumes of liquefied natural gas (LNG). Think of it as the world's energy jugular vein. When it gets blocked, the entire planet feels it. What Happened? On Februa...

article

Travel Insurance: A Must-Have When Travelling Outside Canada




Yes, you should buy travel health insurance before you leave Canada even for a day in the United States. Your Canadian health insurance may not pay your medical bills while you’re outside Canada. Your provincial or territorial health plan may cover none, or only a small part, of the costs of your medical care abroad. It will never pay your bills up front. Foreign hospitals can be very expensive and may require immediate cash payment. In some countries hospitals and clinics will not treat you if you do not have enough insurance or money to pay your bills. The Government of Canada will not pay your medical bills.

You can buy travel insurance through your travel agent, insurance broker, employer’s insurance provider or credit card company. Your travel health insurance policy should always cover the following 3 things: Medical evacuation, Pre-existing medical conditions and Repatriation in case of death.



Comments