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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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Ontario Colleges on Edge as Faculty Strike Looms

Faculty staff at Ontario’s public colleges are poised to take strike action as early as January 9th, following a five-day labour notice issued by the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU). The union, representing faculty workers at the province’s 24 public colleges, has cited stalled contract talks and lack of job security as the primary reasons for the potential strike.

Despite months of negotiations, the College Employer Council (CEC) and OPSEU have yet to reach an agreement. The union claims that the CEC’s current offer would leave faculty members worse off than their previous contract, which expired three months ago. The CEC, on the other hand, argues that the union’s demands are unrealistic given the financial instability faced by Ontario’s colleges.

The potential strike comes at a challenging time for Ontario’s college sector, which has already seen a significant drop in international student enrollment and funding cuts. The union is urging the CEC to enter mediation with more realistic demands to avoid an unnecessary strike.

As the situation unfolds, both parties remain committed to finding a resolution, but the looming strike date adds urgency to the negotiations.




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