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Why so many forecasts get it wrong By Roslyn Kunin — December 9, 2025 Most forecasts fail for one simple reason: they assume people won’t change their behaviour when circumstances change. That mistake keeps producing dramatic but misleading predictions. One example appeared recently in a news story warning that food costs for the average family will rise by $1,000 in the coming year. Prices for many items are expected to climb, especially meat and notably beef. Estimates like this often come from Canada’s Food Price Report, which looks at how much the average household’s grocery bill may change in the year ahead. How the $1,000 figure was reached is straightforward. Statisticians priced a typical family’s grocery cart and added the expected increases. Buying the same mix of groceries next year would cost $1,000 more. The problem isn’t the math. It’s the assumption that families won’t change what they buy. In reality, shoppers adjust, and the real increase is almost always l...

A new year brings fresh hope and opportunity, but also rising costs. Canada’s inflation rate is just under two per cent, after peaking at 8.1 per cent in June 2022. Compared with the past three years, cost-of-living hikes should slow down in 2025. But prices for goods and services will still rise. Here is a look at some increased costs for British Columbians this year ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The federal government has announced $99 million in new funding to tackle rent affordability and $5 million in annual spending to help investigate rising grocery prices. In a press conference on Tuesday, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Chrystia Freeland and Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Francois-Philippe Champagne announced the new spending as part of Canada's economic plan. "We all know that housing is the central challenge in Canada right now," Freeland said Tuesday morning. "It's a central challenge in people's lives, and this is especially true for Canadians who are struggling with the high cost of rent" . . . CLICK HERE for the full story

"Although our country's food inflation has been among the lowest in the world, and Canada is among the most competitive nations on Earth when it comes to grocery retail, this provides little comfort to Canadians who are struggling," Michael Medline told MPs on the House of Commons agriculture committee. Medline is the CEO of Empire Company Ltd., which owns Sobeys and other grocery store chains ... CLICK HERE for the full story

In an era where food inflation has become a contentious political issue, it’s all too tempting for politicians to target the grocery industry. Sadly, that’s exactly what transpired in our country this year, and it was both absurd and embarrassing. The government and Parliament relentlessly hounded our grocers, drowning out the opportunity for Canadians to truly comprehend the intricacies of food inflation amid the din of political theatrics. While amusing, the recent “greedflation” campaign highlights a collective amnesia regarding why companies exist and the power of market forces. The sustainability of the grocery business in Canada hinges on profits and a profound understanding of market dynamics ... CLICK HERE for the full story

The annual rate of inflation picked up again in August, rising to four per cent, according to Statistics Canada. Gas prices pushed inflation higher last month, with costs of regular gasoline up 4.6 per cent from July, the agency said. Prices at the pumps rose year-over-year for the first time in August since January 2023. Statistics Canada attributed some of the inflation at the pumps to the base-year effect — the impact of unfavourable year-over-year trends — as gas prices rose last month but were decelerating from last summer’s peaks in August 2022. Economists had expected an increase in inflation thanks largely to the higher gas prices, though the magnitude of the jump beat the consensus estimates ...   CLICK HERE for the full story

  Canada’s top grocery executives have pledged to “support” the Liberal government’s efforts to keep prices in check, Industry Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne says. The heads of Canada’s biggest grocery chains attended a summit struck by the Liberals in Ottawa on Monday as Parliament Hill returned to session and the government vowed action on affordability issues dogging Canadians ... ... “The large grocers have accepted to work with the government of Canada,” Champagne said. “This is a step in the right direction. … this is just the beginning. We’re going to be working to bring price stability in Canada" ... CLICK HERE for the full story