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WestJet Strike Countdown: What to Do If You're Flying This Long Weekend

  Published July 31, 2026  |  Canadian Money Brief If you've got a WestJet flight booked for this weekend, here's the situation in one line: a strike or a lockout could ground the airline's cabin crew as early as Saturday, August 1 at 11:59 p.m. Mountain Time / Sunday, August 2 at 12:01 a.m. MT — right at the start of the busy August long weekend. Nothing has happened yet. WestJet and the union representing its roughly 4,400 flight attendants, CUPE Local 8125, are both still at the table. But both sides have now filed the legal paperwork that makes a work stoppage possible within days, so this is the moment to actually check your booking rather than hope it sorts itself out. HOW WE GOT HERE Flight attendants voted 99.4% in favour of a strike mandate back on July 15. On July 30, the union issued a 72-hour strike notice over wages and unpaid ground work — CUPE says the average flight attendant does about 35 hours a month of unpaid boarding, security, and delay-related work...

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Retirees Face Financial Strain as CPP Payment Increases Lag Behind Inflation in 2025

In 2025, retirees across Canada are feeling the pinch as the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) payment increases fail to keep pace with rising living costs. Despite a modest increase in CPP benefits, many retirees find that their purchasing power is eroding due to higher inflation rates.

The CPP payment adjustments for 2025 are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures the rate of price change for goods and services. However, the 2.6% increase in CPP benefits falls short of covering the actual increase in living expenses faced by retirees. This discrepancy has led to growing concerns among retirees who rely heavily on their CPP payments for day-to-day expenses.

As a result, many retirees are finding it increasingly difficult to manage their finances, with some having to dip into their savings or cut back on essential expenses. The situation highlights the need for more robust measures to ensure that CPP payments adequately reflect the true cost of living for retirees.

In response to these challenges, financial experts are urging retirees to explore additional income sources and consider delaying CPP payments to maximize their benefits. While these strategies may provide some relief, the underlying issue of insufficient CPP increases remains a pressing concern for many retirees.

As the debate continues, it is clear that more needs to be done to protect the financial well-being of Canada's retirees in the face of rising living costs.




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