Food, housing, gas rising fast: Experts

[Anonymous]

And a Trudeau carbon tax that increases annually will only add to household budget problems.



The cost of owning a home has gone up all across Canada, as have rents in big cities. And the bad news for would-be homeowners is the cost of living just keeps rising, too.

experts say some of the basics — housing, food, energy — are going up at a rate that threatens to overwhelm household budgets.



FOOD



Sylvain charlebois, a dalhousie university professor of Food distribution and Policy, said a recent angus reid Global survey conducted with the university's agri-food analytics



Lab found three out of every five canadians see food security and affordability as one of the most important issues in this federal election.



"the results point to how much canadians are under pressure financially," charlebois said. "Vegetables are up 18% year to year, overall we're looking at an increase (in food prices) of over 2.5%, which is actually a little higher than the core inflation rate." the costs of buying meals outside the home, common when people work outside the home, are up 4% this year, he said.



"It effects everyone every single day," charlebois said. "People are looking at prices way more than ever before. On average, the canadian household will spend anywhere between 10%-15% of its budget on food," charlebois said. "Food affordability was barely mentioned during this campaign, so absolutely I do think this is a disappointment."



HOUSING



Josh Gordon, Simon Fraser university assistant professor at the School of Public Policy, said the housing market in toronto, as in Vancouver, has decoupled from the local labour market.



In other words, it's very difficult to purchase a home on a regular salary.



Foreign investment in real estate is the main driver of this disconnect, as a substantial portion of the money available at any one time to buy a home is coming from non-resident investors, he said.



Local residents then find themselves competing with professional salaries for the so-called "cheaper" properties, he said.



"there has been a recognition in this campaign about the problems with foreign ownership," he said. "the Liberal Party has put forward some version of a vacancy tax that applies mainly to non-resident non-canadians ... and the ndp has announced the potential for a foreign-buyer tax that's applied broadly. but neither proposal addresses the dynamic of decoupling and foreign ownership nearly as effectively and aggressively as they could."



the conservative proposals, to review the mortgage stress test and allow 30-year amortization periods, shows no appetite to tackle the issue of foreign ownership, Gordon said.



ENERGY



dan Mcteague, a petroleum/ energy industry analyst, said Liberal government rebates offered in exchange for putting a carbon tax on fuels, like gasoline and natural gas, only cover the added cost if everything remains average — the temperature in winter, the number of kids in a family.



"thank you for the $300 but if this year I'm using 70 litres a week taking my four kids around, I know full well that most of us are going to wind up with less than we began with and that's likely to be disruptive and it's likely to lead to a significant problem with affordability, especially when it comes to home heating," he said.



People will also likely be expected to cover additional business costs for moving items around like food to grocery stores, he said.



Liberals would keep and increase the price of the carbon tax while offering rebates to offset the costs for the majorities, ndp would continue with the Grit plan but end the exemptions for large polluters, and the tories would kill the carbon tax.

[Anonymous]

Ever since Trudeau forced his carbon tax on Manitoba what we pay for necessities has shot up.

[Anonymous]

Ever since Trudeau forced his carbon tax on Manitoba what we pay for necessities has shot up.

But, it subsidizes China.

[Anonymous]

I notice the price of grapes has gone up so much over  the last few years,

[Vancouver]

This month my monthly bank fee will go from $13.95 to $15.95 and they make it sound like it's for my greater good.



"Thank you for choosing to bank with us. We pride ourselves in listening to customers like you"

[Anonymous]

This month my monthly bank fee will go from $13.95 to $15.95 and they make it sound like it's for my greater good.



"Thank you for choosing to bank with us. We pride ourselves in listening to customers like you"

Fees for fucking what?

[Anonymous]

This month my monthly bank fee will go from $13.95 to $15.95 and they make it sound like it's for my greater good.



"Thank you for choosing to bank with us. We pride ourselves in listening to customers like you"

If you have under a certain amount?

[Anonymous]

This month my monthly bank fee will go from $13.95 to $15.95 and they make it sound like it's for my greater good.



"Thank you for choosing to bank with us. We pride ourselves in listening to customers like you"

If you have under a certain amount?

Monthly and transaction fees are waived if certain balances are maintained.

[Anonymous]

Keep affordability in mind when you cast your vote.



Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer built his platform around affordability, with the slogan: "It's time for you to get ahead."



The Tories say they'll provide a universal tax cut, reducing the tax rate on income under $47,630 to 13.75% from 15%, which would save a two-income family with an average salary, for example, over $850 a year.



The Conservatives' election platform promises no GST on home heating, no carbon tax, tax-free maternity benefits, new adoptive parents leave benefits, a $1,000 boost in the age credit for lowto middle-income seniors, a 15% transit tax credit for regular users, a 20% refundable tax credit for green home improvements between $1,000 and $20,000, a tax credit up to $1,000 for kids' fitness or sports activities, and a tax credit worth up to $500 for a child's arts or learning programs.



Their planned increase in the RESP grant could, if the maximum was put in, add a $250-a-year grant, the Conservatives say.



At a Toronto Sun editorial board this week, Scheer explained why he favoured broad tax cuts and targeted tax credits over the large social programs like pharmacare offered by his opponents.



About 90% of Canadians have or are eligible for some kind of pharmacare, and in general he believes government should step in when someone's needs can't otherwise be met.

[Blazor]

This month my monthly bank fee will go from $13.95 to $15.95 and they make it sound like it's for my greater good.



"Thank you for choosing to bank with us. We pride ourselves in listening to customers like you"

If you have under a certain amount?

Monthly and transaction fees are waived if certain balances are maintained.

This is true, but it fucks poorer people.



I was at the bank the other day, lady said "would you like to open a savings account", and I said I lived paycheck to paycheck. She said even a little would help my future, and I said "well I guess I could save some money if I didnt have to pay y'all a $10 maintenance fee each month!" lol. Well now my fee is $3 a month lol.

[Anonymous]

This month my monthly bank fee will go from $13.95 to $15.95 and they make it sound like it's for my greater good.



"Thank you for choosing to bank with us. We pride ourselves in listening to customers like you"

If you have under a certain amount?

Monthly and transaction fees are waived if certain balances are maintained.

This is true, but it fucks poorer people.



I was at the bank the other day, lady said "would you like to open a savings account", and I said I lived paycheck to paycheck. She said even a little would help my future, and I said "well I guess I could save some money if I didnt have to pay y'all a $10 maintenance fee each month!" lol. Well now my fee is $3 a month lol.

You negotiated your fees Blazor?

[Blazor]

This month my monthly bank fee will go from $13.95 to $15.95 and they make it sound like it's for my greater good.



"Thank you for choosing to bank with us. We pride ourselves in listening to customers like you"

If you have under a certain amount?

Monthly and transaction fees are waived if certain balances are maintained.

This is true, but it fucks poorer people.



I was at the bank the other day, lady said "would you like to open a savings account", and I said I lived paycheck to paycheck. She said even a little would help my future, and I said "well I guess I could save some money if I didnt have to pay y'all a $10 maintenance fee each month!" lol. Well now my fee is $3 a month lol.

You negotiated your fees Blazor?

Sort of, they said I was on an old plan. I actually had it reduced to free, but they said I would have to be paperless statements, and I said no, cause I support the failing printing industry.

[Anonymous]

I support the failing printing industry.

That would be in your interests.

[Blazor]

I support the failing printing industry.

That would be in your interests.

Printing is a dying trade, unfortunately.

[Anonymous]

I support the failing printing industry.

That would be in your interests.

Printing is a dying trade, unfortunately.

I remember when it was considered a good trade to get into.