Family

Wednesday May 10, 2022

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Wednesday May 10, 2022

As cost of living soars, affordability becomes top Ontario election issue

August 14, 2014

In every Ontario election poll that’s publicly available, the number one concern of voters is the rising cost of living. 

Affordability has rocketed past the perennial top issues of health — even after two years of a global pandemic — and jobs, with the unemployment rate at record lows. 

While the Ontario party leaders are often talking on the campaign trail about making life more affordable, it’s a wonder that they’re not hammering the issue even harder, given how strongly it’s resonating with voters.

“The smart politicians won’t just talk about [the cost of living] as an issue, they will understand it’s a character test,” said Greg Lyle, a veteran pollster and president of Innovative Research Group.

Friday December 10, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Friday December 10, 2021

We’ll all be paying a lot more for food next year, says Canada’s Food Price Report

June 22, 2021

Sky-high food prices were one of many negative impacts that Canadians felt during the pandemic-plagued year of 2021. And a new report suggests that problem is only going to get worse next year.

Canada’s Food Price Report, released today, is an annual report published by Dalhousie University and the University of Guelph that’s the most comprehensive set of data currently available about a subject that all Canadians are impacted by: food.

As with everything else, supply chain issues caused by the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on food prices and availability. Weather events such as the heat dome also didn’t help put food on the table.

“The meat counter was a big deal this year,” said Sylvain Charlebois, the chief researcher on the report and a professor studying food distribution and security at Dalhousie University in Halifax. 

December 8, 2016

“It really pushed food inflation much higher.”

This time last year, the report was forecasting an increase of between three and five per cent for food prices, with a theoretical family of four consisting of one man, one woman, one boy, and one girl, on track to pay about $13,907 to feed themselves in 2021. 

As it turns out, they were only over by $106. The report tabulates that theoretical family ended up spending $13,801 to feed themselves this year.

In the coming year, Charlebois says food price inflation is on track to be higher with a likely increase of between five and seven per cent — or an extra $966 a year for the typical family grocery bill.

“It’s the highest increase that we’re predicting in 12 years, both in terms of dollars and percentage,” Charlebois said. “It’s not going to be easy.”

As usual, different types of food are expected to go up in price at different rates, with dairy and baked goods expected to be comparatively much more pricey, while past culprits like meat and seafood will look comparatively flat. (CBC) 

 

Saturday December 4, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday December 4, 2021

Welcome to the new tradition of Christmas tree shortages

With reports of tree shortages across Canada this year, the Christmas tree industry is warning that low inventory could become an issue every holiday season.

December 9, 2017

“It’s not gonna get easier for the foreseeable future,” said Shirley Brennan, the executive director of the Canadian Christmas Trees Association, which represents hundreds of tree farmers across the country.

Sales of Canadian Christmas trees have been growing by about 15 per cent a year since 2015, said Brennan.

And unless demand falls off, a Christmas tree shortage is likely to continue because fewer trees are being planted and climate change is affecting their growth and survival.

“I can see it being ongoing,” said Alison McCrindle, co-owner of Chickadee Christmas Trees in Puslinch, Ont.

Tree sellers in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Alberta and B.C. have all told CBC News about inventory issues they’re facing this year.

January 8, 2008

An anxious Nevesha Persad Maharaj was at Chickadee for the farm’s opening day on Nov. 26 — much earlier than her family had ever shopped for a tree.

“We came out a couple of weeks earlier and, even for us, we were thinking it was a little bit late,” she said. 

One possibly worrisome sign for the future: The current shortage forced Ikea Canada to abandon its practice of selling live trees this year, because the retailer said it was “unable to secure the necessary local supply.”

Canada exports about 49 per cent of the Christmas trees grown here — and most of the trees that end up in Canadian homes are homegrown, said Brennan. Quebec grows the most Christmas trees in the country by far, followed by Nova Scotia, Ontario and New Brunswick.

December 8, 2018

The problem is that over time, the amount of land dedicated to Christmas tree production has been shrinking.

In 2011, there were just under 2,400 Christmas tree farms in Canada, with about 28,000 hectares (69,000 acres) of land under cultivation, according to Statistics Canada data. By 2016, the number of farms totalled just under 1,900, with around 24,000 hectares (59,000 acres) of land under cultivation.

One reason why there’s less land being used to grow Christmas trees is because a number of tree farms are family businesses, said Brennan, and the average grower is between 70 and 75. 

Growing trees isn’t easy and when a farmer’s children aren’t interested in taking over, the land may be turned to other uses or not farmed at all, she said. (CBC) 

 

Tuesday February 9, 2021

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Tuesday February 9, 2021

Ontario will let more businesses reopen, gradually lift stay-at-home orders

Non-essential retailers in Ontario will be allowed to reopen at limited capacity when stay-at-home orders are lifted, the provincial government said Monday, as three public health units are set to see COVID-19 restrictions loosened.

Premier Doug Ford announced the changes this afternoon as part of his government’s plan to gradually move all of Ontario’s 34 public health units back to a colour-coded reopening framework.

Ontario has been in a provincewide “lockdown” since Dec. 26, and a stay-at-home order was added four weeks ago.

“Today we’re seeing some sunlight break through the clouds,” Ford said. “My friends, the measures are working. Staying home is saving lives.”

November 24, 2020

The following public health units will move into the green category — the least stringent in terms of COVID-19 restrictions — on Wednesday:

• Hastings Prince Edward Public Health

• Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington Public Health 

• Renfrew County and District Health Unit

The stay-at-home order will be lifted then in those health units as well.

The order will remain in place in the rest of Ontario until Feb. 16, when it could be lifted in 28 more public health units depending upon COVID-19 trends at the time, the government said.

In Toronto and Peel and York regions, however, the order is set to stay in effect until at least Feb. 22.

November 5, 2020

In the coming weeks, the province will progressively move more regions back into the colour-coded system, which includes the green, yellow, orange, red and grey “lockdown” stages.

For now, though, all except the three public health units listed above will stay under the stay-at-home order. As part of today’s announcement, the province detailed some changes to the set of restrictions that apply to areas in lockdown once stay-at-home orders expire.

Chief among them is that non-essential retailers in the grey zones will be allowed to open their doors with a 25 per cent capacity limit. The province said the move is to “support the province’s economic recovery.”

The same applies to some other businesses, including discount and big box retailers, liquor stores, hardware stores and garden centres.

Meanwhile, the 50 per cent capacity limit for in-person shopping at essential retailers, such as supermarkets and other stores that primarily sell groceries, as well as convenience stores and pharmacies, will stay in place. 

June 5, 2020

Personal care services, however, are to remain closed. 

Gatherings at residences are still prohibited, but outdoor events and social gatherings of up to 10 people with two metres of distance are allowed, with masks strongly encouraged.

Funerals, weddings and baptisms are also allowed, with 10 people either indoors or outdoors, with two metres of distance between them.

Religious gatherings are similarly capped at 10 people indoors with two metres between them, and masks are mandatory. Virtual and drive-in religious services are also allowed.

Indoor recreational fitness facilities remain closed, but outdoor recreational amenities like rinks and trails are allowed to open with restrictions. Ski hills were initially listed in the province’s news release as allowed, but a government spokesperson sent out a statement saying that was a mistake, and they would not be permitted to open. (CBC) 

 

Saturday September 26, 2020

Editorial Cartoon by Graeme MacKay, The Hamilton Spectator – Saturday September 26, 2020

COVID-19 precautions to curtail Thanksgiving gatherings

With a little over two weeks before Thanksgiving on Oct. 12, a growing chorus of public health and political leaders are urging Canadians to scale back any plans for a sprawling dinner party.

April 11, 2020

The pleas started with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s sobering national address Wednesday, and were amplified Thursday by officials in Ontario and Quebec — where the bulk of infections and deaths have occurred.

Health Minister Christian Dube urged Quebecers to avoid parties over the next few weeks — including the Thanksgiving long weekend — while Quebec’s public health director suggested private gatherings are driving infections rather than restaurants, where restrictions are in place.

“Which is very different from a party where … we forget (to maintain) your two metres,” said Dr. Horacio Arruda, referring to social distancing guidance.

Earlier on Thursday, Ontario Premier Doug Ford also acknowledged the temptation to gather with extended friends and family but stressed the importance of maintaining precautions.

“Nothing is more important than family and loved ones getting together,” said Ford.

“But in saying that, we’ve got to keep it under 10.”

Life in a Pandemic

Alberta’s chief medical health officer, Dr. Deena Hinshaw, said Thursday that Thanksgiving can still happen as long as people practice caution and stick to gathering within their “cohorts,” which in the province is a bubble of up to 15 people.

“Smaller is safer. This is not the time for large gatherings,” Hinshaw said.

Infectious disease specialists warned any relaxation of the rules could undo months of sacrifice.

Dr. Gerald Evans, chair of the division of infectious diseases at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont., advised against travel and merging bubbles that share extended family members, even if it’s for just one night.

“Some families there might be a bubble of them in Toronto, a bubble of them in Ottawa, a bubble of them in Kingston,” notes Evans.

“But if at Thanksgiving they’re sort of saying well you know winter’s coming this is our last chance (so) let’s all get together, then all of a sudden you’ve got a conglomeration of what could be up to 30 people, and whatever other little connections they have.” (CTV)

“Graeme MacKay (Hamilton Spectator) reminds us that Thanksgiving is coming up in less than two weeks, though not perhaps as we remember it. Canadian Thanksgiving is October 12 this year, which is ironic, I suppose, since down here we call that Columbus Day or Indigenous People Day or something, and then we celebrate the mystical love of Pilgrims and Indians next month.”