Latest news with #Charlebois
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Beef prices surge as barbecue season approaches
Canadians looking to grill some burgers and steaks as the summer barbecue season heats up may find themselves paying much more for beef, prompting one food expert to call for an investigation. Prices for striploin steak are 34.2 per cent higher since January, while top sirloin is up 33.7 per cent, according to Statistics Canada. Pork ribs and chicken breasts are each up 5.9 per cent during the same period. 'For many Canadian families, a summer steak on the grill is starting to feel more like a splurge than a staple,' Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, said in a recent report. 'Consumers will continue to enjoy beef, but with moderation and on occasions that justify the cost.' He pointed to several factors behind the jump in beef prices, including transportation costs, the carbon tax, the number of licensed beef processors and labour costs. Canadian inventory is also an issue since it has fallen to 3.38 million head, the lowest level since 1989. 'Many cattle producers are exiting the industry while prices are favourable, opting to reinvest in less volatile sectors or shift entirely to crop production,' Charlebois said. 'In short, the Canadian beef industry is retreating and becoming increasingly risk-averse.' Canadians are already taking notice of the price hikes in the past few years. Per capita beef consumption fell 7.1 per cent in 2023 and another 2.1 per cent in 2024, according to IBISWorld data. 'This is no longer just a matter of shifting dietary preferences; it's a structural shift in consumer behaviour,' Charlebois said. 'Beef is increasingly seen as a luxury item, with ground beef becoming the primary choice for budget-conscious households still committed to red meat.' He also wonders if producers in Canada are taking advantage of the situation. In the United States, former president Joe Biden tried to crack down on anticompetitive practices in the food industry, specifically price fixing in the meat sector. In February, Brazilian meatpacking company JBS SA agreed to pay US$83.5 to settle claims that it worked with other companies to artificially inflate prices. Under the settlement, JBS must also work with U.S. investigators looking into similar claims at Tyson Foods Inc., Cargill Inc. and National Beef Packing Co. LLC. JBS has called the claims against it 'frivolous and without merit,' but is settling because it is in the company's best interest. 'The Canadian Competition Bureau, by contrast, has remained largely silent on similar concerns,' Charlebois said. 'Perhaps it's time for that to change.' Prices on thousands of grocery items to rise despite tariff break, says Loblaw Canada has lost its global agricultural trading edge, RBC report says The Competition Bureau said investigations are confidential, so it can not reveal information on current investigations. 'The bureau must conduct a thorough and complete examination of the facts regarding any issue before reaching any conclusion as to whether the Competition Act has been contravened,' a spokesperson for the agency said in a statement. 'If we find evidence of activities that could raise concerns under the law, we will take action.' • Email: bcousins@ Sign in to access your portfolio
Vancouver Sun
3 days ago
- Business
- Vancouver Sun
Conversations That Matter: Food insecurity in Canada
Despite higher food prices, Canadians are spending less on food today than they did last year. 'Close to 50 per cent of respondents to our survey report they are paying significantly more for food, leading to widespread concern about food inflation and security,' says Sylvain Charlebois, one of the authors of the Canadian Food Sentiment Index. The increases have led to changes in the way people are buying food. They're paying more attention to how it's grown and where it comes from. 'It adds up to consumers becoming more frugal because they've reached their limit. Household budgets are strained and food is something they can look to cut back on or find less-expensive options.' Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Prime Minister Mark Carney has made a commitment to spend on boosting food production, processing and innovation. According to Charlebois, 'The most important thing he can do in the immediate future is to remove the carbon tax on agricultural products and production. If he doesn't, food prices are going to continue to rise.' Charlebois joined a Conversation That Matters about the complex world of food production, security, and affordability. See the video at Learn More about our guests career at Join us June 17 for a Conversations Live on energy accessibility, sustainability, affordability.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
IHC Schools plans to consolidate to one building
WATERTOWN, N.Y. (WWTI) – The Immaculate Heart Central School District will be looking to put all of its students under one roof. The school district recently announced its plans to have students from the pre-kindergarten through 12th grade in the same building. According to plans from the district, all students will be at the main campus located 1316 Ives Street in Watertown. IHC's Richards, Charlebois named 2024 'Boots' Gaffney Award winners The school currently houses over 150 elementary school students on a building located at 122 Winthrop Street. The move would take hold for the 2025-26 academic year. IHC Principal Daniel Charlebois said the moved has been in the offing for a while. He said that the cost of running two campuses is more expensive, but there's also an educational component to the move. 'One of the reasons for consolidation is collaboration with our educators,' Charlebois said. 'The best form of collaboration is in person.' Plans from the district will have the pre-K through fourth grade on the first floor while grades five through 12 will be on the second floor. The school will have to make some renovations to prepare for the transition. According to school officials, a target of $500,000 is hoping to be raised via the One Faith, One Family, One School Consolidation Fundraising Here are some of the items that the fundraising project looks to take care of: Remodeling two restrooms and adding one bathroom Playground and Recess Area Abatement and replacement of floor tiles Removal of lockers and installation of cubbies New blinds in classrooms Painting or replacement of ceiling tiles Interior and exterior painting Dividing wall for the gym Roof repairs Repairs and replacement of windows Charlebois said the public has given good feedback regarding the consolidation. There have been informational nights and community members were surveyed on the move. Another positive for the move is that high school kids might be able to guide the youngsters along. There have been programs like reading buddies where high schoolers would read stories to elementary kids. However, the students would have to be transported between the two campuses. The elementary kids look up to them (the high schoolers) and think the world of them,' Charlebois said. This move will be so impactful.' For more information on the project, visit the campaign initiative page here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
National Post
06-05-2025
- Business
- National Post
Canadians are bracing for more food inflation amid U.S. trade war: new report
Article content Faith in independent grocers, in particular, indicates that people are starting to think about where they're buying their food — not just what they're purchasing, says Charlebois. 'Independents have struggled the last little while. People are paying more attention to the smaller shops — the independently owned and the Canadian-owned shops — that are out there offering unique and innovative products.' Article content Charlebois adds that getting in front of consumers can be challenging for food entrepreneurs. 'It's always tough to deal with larger grocers. If you have independents willing to give it a shot, that's good news for innovation. That's good news for variety and consumers.' Article content According to the report, 10 per cent of respondents buy local foods more often than they did six months ago, which the authors attributed in part to the availability of spring produce as well as the 'Buy Canadian' movement. Nearly half (43.5 per cent) choose local foods always or often. 'People are seeking more Canadian food. More people are checking the origin of the items they're purchasing,' says Özbilge. Article content Article content Taylor adds: 'Never in my life have I seen such patriotism in Canada, and it's really coming through in all that we're doing. And so it's great to see, certainly, when people go to the grocery store and see that ' made in Canada,' or '100 per cent Canadian-made' or whatever it may be. It focuses their attention on where their food is coming from, and I don't think that's ever a bad idea.' Article content Affordability (42 per cent) remains the leading factor driving food purchases, followed by nutrition (25 per cent) and taste (18 per cent). Respondents are checking best-before dates more often, and on the sustainability front, recycling food packaging increased, and reducing food waste at home improved. Article content 'Sustainability is getting back to people's minds as they're trying to shake off this monetary pressure,' says Özbilge. He notes that many people misunderstand best-before dates. They're an indicator of food quality — not food safety. Article content 'When I see those trends, they're minimal, but I think they might be meaningful towards reducing waste.' Article content The report suggests that spending on food service is increasing year-over-year (+3.8 per cent) while retail is decreasing (-0.58 per cent). Canada is a world leader in remote work, Charlebois underscores. Full-time employees spend nearly two days a week at home, according to the Global Survey of Working Arrangements. He sees the uptick in service as a sign that even when working remotely, there's a desire to go to coffee shops or restaurants to socialize, which could create opportunities for establishments in the suburbs versus downtown cores. Article content Article content Compared to fall 2024, more people are buying in bulk and opting for generic or store brands over brand-name products. The Canadian Food Sentiment Index also shows an increase in purchasing grass-fed beef and cage-free eggs. Article content The popularity of the omnivorous diet (no specific restrictions) dropped, while others, including flexitarian (primarily plant-based with occasional consumption of animal products), paleo, vegan and keto, increased. Article content Despite its emphasis on affordability and expectations of double-digit inflation, the Canadian Food Sentiment Index suggests many are taking a holistic view — not just focusing on pocketbook issues. 'I think this report indicates the end of the food inflation storm we've been in for the last few years,' says Charlebois. 'People are starting to think about what they're eating again instead of just trying to survive.' Article content
CBC
05-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Cranberry juice, anyone? How the trade war will affect your breakfast table (and many other things)
Social Sharing As Day 2 of the tariff war with the United States dawns over New Brunswick, residents may be contemplating over breakfast what they can do to help. "Well, I think that you may reconsider your orange juice for sure," said Sylvain Charlebois, a professor and director of the Agrifood Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University. Now that tariffs have been imposed, Charlebois said the most effective thing Canadians can do is to continue to support Canadian products. "Right now you're seeing a populace rejecting America at the grocery store and sales [of American products] are down five per cent in a month." And that was before tariffs were imposed. Charlebois expects "the momentum will only grow" now that tariffs are a reality. By not buying American, Charlebois said, consumers will "de-Americanize" grocery stores, and that includes a lot of produce and processed goods. So when it comes to breakfast, for example, there are a lot of options for New Brunswickers, said David Campbell, an economic development consultant and a former chief economist for the New Brunswick government. "A breakfast that is immune from tariffs would include blueberry juice or cranberry juice — we produce a lot of cranberries here in the province. It would include locally sourced beef or pork products." Eggs and dairy products are also on the safe-from-tariffs breakfast, said Campbell. "So there's lots of ways we could buy local. It might be a little more expensive than it was in the past, but it would be less exposed to the challenges now we're facing with the United States." While it helps to buy local, New Brunswickers simply can't come close to buying enough to make up for the potential loss of U.S. customers, said Campbell. For example, New Brunswick produces "enough two-by-fours to serve the entire Canadian market." "We produce a whole lot more lobster and blueberries and potatoes than we would ever need here in the province — maple syrup. We absolutely have to have export markets for those goods." And there are some products that we just can't get in Canada, like vehicles, said Campbell. And those things just got more expensive overnight. Jobs are also at risk, said Campbell. The province estimates that 35,000 jobs in the province are linked to exports to the U.S. and expects 4,000 to 6,000 of them could be lost as a result of the tariffs. "About a third of all private sector jobs in New Brunswick are directly in export sectors," said Campbell. "So those are industries like manufacturing, but also agriculture and service industries that export goods and services to the U.S. and other countries … And so if you're in one of those sectors, there's an increasing chance that your job will be directly affected," he said. "It's one thing to say we're going to pay more for orange juice but if we start losing our big manufacturing companies and our big exporters, that's going to be really hard on the economy." Campbell said New Brunswickers should "go about your business and if possible, try to buy Canadian." A lot of local markets are already feeling the impact of that sentiment. Dan Cullen, the owner of Dan's Country Market in Saint John, is one of them. For the last few weeks, he's been noticing customers spending a lot more time looking at the labels and asking whether things are made in Canada. "It's definitely increased sales for sure with the support-local movement," he said. Cullen estimates that about 99 per cent of his products are made in Canada. The exception is some pop, candy and produce. When he can, Cullen tries to avoid buying from the United States. At the moment, it's easy because he's able to get a lot of tropical fruit, including oranges and grapes, from other places. The one notable exception is lettuce, which does come from the U.S. because it's a lot cheaper than from a Canadian greenhouse. Whether he continues to purchase American lettuce, and other produce, will depend on his customers and whether they're willing to buy it, or whether they prefer to buy the more expensive grown-in-Canada option.
