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Canada's Inflation Jumps to 2.4% in March — And Your Grocery and Gas Bills Show It

Canada's annual inflation rate climbed to 2.4% in March 2026 , up sharply from 1.8% in February, according to Statistics Canada data released Monday. The jump was driven almost entirely by soaring energy prices tied to the U.S.-Iran conflict and its disruption of oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz — and Canadians felt it directly at the gas pump and grocery store. Headline CPI (March) 2.4% ▲ Up from 1.8% in February Gasoline (monthly) +21.2% Largest monthly jump on record Grocery prices (year/year) +4.4% Up from 4.1% in February Core CPI (ex-gas) 2.2% Milder than expected Gas was the main culprit Gasoline prices surged a record 21.2% month over month in March — the largest single-month jump ever recorded in Canada — as the U.S.-Iran conflict choked off roughly one-fifth of the world's oil supply through the Strait of Hormuz. On a year-...
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LCBO Stores Set to Reopen Tuesday After Resolving Last-Minute Dispute

 

The Liquor Control Board of Ontario (LCBO) and the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU) have resolved a last-minute dispute, paving the way for LCBO stores to reopen on Tuesday. This resolution comes after a two-week strike that saw over 9,000 workers walk off the job.

The tentative agreement, reached on Friday, initially hit a snag when the union and the LCBO disagreed over the return-to-work protocol. The LCBO accused the union of introducing new monetary demands, while the union maintained that their demands were standard and had been used in previous strikes.

Despite the initial impasse, both parties confirmed on Saturday morning that the dispute had been resolved. Voting on the tentative deal is set to occur over the weekend, and if ratified, unionized workers will return to work on Monday, with stores reopening to the public on Tuesday.

The agreement includes an eight-percent pay raise over three years, the conversion of 1,000 casual employees to permanent part-time status, and the hiring of 60 additional full-time employees in warehouse operations. Additionally, there will be no store closures for the duration of the deal.

A significant point of contention was the expansion of ready-to-drink beverages into grocery and convenience stores. The Ford government expedited this timeline, allowing licensed Ontario grocery stores to sell these beverages ahead of schedule. A non-binding committee will be formed to determine the best way to implement these plans.

With the resolution of this dispute, Ontarians can look forward to shopping at LCBO stores again, knowing that their purchases support public services.


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