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Canada’s Inflation Climbs to 2.4% as Gas Prices Surge to Record High

  Canada’s inflation rate accelerated to 2.4% in March , up from 1.8% in February, as the Iran war triggered the largest monthly gasoline price increase on record . Statistics Canada reported that gas prices surged 21.2% month‑over‑month , a supply‑shock response to Iran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz and broader Middle East instability.  Energy costs were the dominant driver of March inflation, with overall energy prices rising 3.9% year‑over‑year after a sharp decline the month before. Excluding gasoline, inflation would have eased to 2.2% , highlighting how concentrated the price shock was.  Food inflation offered mixed relief: grocery prices rose 4.4% , while fresh vegetables jumped 7.8% due to difficult growing conditions. Restaurant inflation cooled sharply as last year’s tax‑holiday distortions fell out of the annual comparison.  Economists note that while headline inflation spiked, core measures remained relatively tame , giving the Bank of Canada ro...

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New CPP rules mean higher deductions and benefits for Canadians



Starting Monday, Canadians will see a change in their paycheques as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) introduces a new earnings ceiling for higher-income earners.

The new ceiling, which applies to anyone earning more than $68,500 in 2024, is part of a broader pension revamp that began in 2019. The goal is to provide more financial support for Canadians after they retire, by increasing both the contributions and the benefits of the CPP.

Under the new rules, workers and employers will pay an additional four per cent on the amount they earn between $68,500 and $73,200. This means a maximum of $188 more in payroll deductions for 2024. Self-employed people will pay both portions, or eight per cent.

The trade-off is that Canadians will eventually receive higher payouts once they start collecting their pensions. The enhanced CPP is designed to replace one-third of a person’s eligible income, up from one-quarter under the old system.

The full effects of the CPP changes will take decades to materialize, so the youngest workers stand to gain the most. People retiring 40 years from now will see their income go up by more than 50 per cent compared to the current pension beneficiaries.

The CPP changes do not affect the eligibility criteria for retirement pension, post-retirement benefits, disability pension and survivor’s pension.


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