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Oil Prices Are Spiking — Here's What It Means for Your Gas Tank and Grocery Bill

  Published July 17, 2026 Crude oil is trading near one-month highs this week, and if you've filled up your tank recently, you've probably already felt it. The culprit: an escalating conflict in the Middle East that's disrupting one of the world's most important oil shipping routes — and it's starting to show up at Canadian pumps and, eventually, on grocery store shelves. What's happening with oil prices West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the North American benchmark, has been trading around the $79–$80 per barrel range this week — up roughly 5% over the past month. Brent crude, the global benchmark that matters more for what Canadians pay at the pump, has been hovering near $85 per barrel, also near a one-month high. The spike traces back to renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. reimposed a naval blockade on Iran and has intensified strikes, while Iran has responded with attacks on U.S. bases and threats to disrupt regional energy shipments further. ...

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Food Prices Expected to Rise 3-5% in 2025

 

A newly released report predicts that food prices in Canada will increase by 3% to 5% in 2025. The report, a collaborative effort by researchers from Dalhousie University, the University of Guelph, the University of Saskatchewan, and the University of British Columbia, forecasts that the average Canadian family of four will spend $16,833.67 on food next year, an increase of up to $801.56 from 2024.

The report attributes the rise in food prices to several factors, including climate change, geopolitical conflicts, energy costs, and the weakening Canadian dollar. Meat prices are expected to rise between 4% and 6% due to prolonged droughts affecting cattle production. Vegetable prices are also anticipated to increase faster than other categories due to the lower buying power of Canadian food importers.

Despite the projected increase, the report notes that the rate of food price growth has moderated compared to the double-digit increases experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. Researchers remain cautiously optimistic, hoping for a flattening out of food price increases in the coming year.



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