Federal Government & Politics II

[Loco101]

Originally Posted by O-tacular

I can attest to the bolded part. I have two co-workers who were booted out of their longterm rentals that they had lived in for like a decade. One never even met her landlord. The other just moved into a new rental a year ago and is being priced out of that one in the new year too. This is in an existing condo building tower. The other was a rare SFH rental property.

This illusion that we're all flush with cash in Calgary does not match reality at all. And let me tell you when I visited Quebec this spring I had sticker shock at how much cheaper their groceries were than here. Probably 20% less.

After talking with friends and family it seems that grocery prices are about that much higher on average in the western provinces. I was telling theman23 how much cheaper groceries are in Ontario compared to Michigan and other states I've been to recently and he didn't believe me as he lives in BC. Now I understand why.

I'll even add that food prices are higher in California and Florida according to my contacts. It's really weird when stuff grown in the U.S. can be bought for less in Ontario but market economies can make that possible.

[theman23]

Originally Posted by Loco101

After talking with friends and family it seems that grocery prices are about that much higher on average in the western provinces. I was telling theman23 how much cheaper groceries are in Ontario compared to Michigan and other states I've been to recently and he didn't believe me as he lives in BC. Now I understand why.

I'll even add that food prices are higher in California and Florida according to my contacts. It's really weird when stuff grown in the U.S. can be bought for less in Ontario but market economies can make that possible.

Huh? I go back to Ontario 2-3 times a year for a few weeks at a time. Groceries aren’t noticeably cheaper. If anything, Ontario seems somewhat more expensive than BC these days, although the small differences get made up by all the eco fees we get dinged with.

I don’t know what’s going on in Alberta, because I’ve always found Quebec to be the most expensive of the three provinces I visit on a regular basis.

[lio45]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

For the record i'm fully on board with all provinces having near complete autonomy on their own immigration as long as the feds take no interest in actually helping them absorb the growth being shoved on them.

I’m amused by the idea that if we implemented this and the Feds still wanted to continue their Ponzi Scheme despite all the provinces refusing to be on board (housing crisis in basically 10/10 provinces nowadays), the three Territories would get +1.5 million fresh new suckers per year! (Only place where the Feds could actually dump them under your plan.)

[lio45]

Originally Posted by suburbanite

In what ways does "Ontario being full" impact Newfoundland's immigration? Ontario being full doesn't seem to bear any weight in determining immigration to Ontario.

Ontario isn’t full, according to the Lio45 Infinite Tenant Compression Principle: “It’s not full yet, the sardines are simply insufficiently packed.”

(That principle only hits its hard limit when the bodily volume of all Ontarians combined reaches the total indoor volume available in the province.)

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Loco101

After talking with friends and family it seems that grocery prices are about that much higher on average in the western provinces. I was telling theman23 how much cheaper groceries are in Ontario compared to Michigan and other states I've been to recently and he didn't believe me as he lives in BC. Now I understand why.

I'll even add that food prices are higher in California and Florida according to my contacts. It's really weird when stuff grown in the U.S. can be bought for less in Ontario but market economies can make that possible.

I don't know how much has changed since the early to mid nineties when I lived out West (Kelowna/Vancouver), but food prices were easily 25% higher than those in Quebec, where I had previously lived. Even gas was more expensive in greater Vancouver than it was in Montreal (I had always been led to believe that Montreal had the highest gasoline prices in Canada). Hydro electricity was probably half the price in Quebec vs. BC. Also, I had to pay an annual fee for my BC medicare card, which I never had to pay in Quebec. Taxes were slightly lower, but everything else was much more expensive, including rents.

[niwell]

Originally Posted by theman23

Huh? I go back to Ontario 2-3 times a year for a few weeks at a time. Groceries aren’t noticeably cheaper. If anything, Ontario seems somewhat more expensive than BC these days, although the small differences get made up by all the eco fees we get dinged with.

I don’t know what’s going on in Alberta, because I’ve always found Quebec to be the most expensive of the three provinces I visit on a regular basis.

Can't speak for BC but last time I was in Alberta groceries seemed a fair bit more expensive than here. Granted that was pre-COVID. Prices have obviously gone up a LOT since then.

Within Ontario I actually find it cheaper grocery shopping in Toronto vs our place in Napanee and other rural locations I've been. Which isn't to say there aren't expensive options in Toronto, but there are cheaper ones as well (Chinatown greengrocers, smaller independent grocery stores that source directly from the Food Terminal, etc.). The one exception being the local butcher, but I'm sure I could find comparable ones in Toronto if I looked - I'm a sucker for the local fancy butcher on Roncy near our place.

[Innsertnamehere]

Rural areas in Ontario get suckered by places like Foodland which charge a "rural" premium. Napanee does have a no frills, which should be generally priced pretty similarly to no frills in Toronto.

yea - green grocers are cheaper though, but pretty niche. There aren't many people in Toronto who rely on them.

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by Loco101

After talking with friends and family it seems that grocery prices are about that much higher on average in the western provinces.

Anecdotes are fun and all, but one of the cool things about online shopping is we can trial a purchase in different locations. I stuffed a cart at realcanadiansuperstore.ca of the following items (no I didn't try to game the system) just to get a cross section of items.

1 dozen eggs
1 30 pack eggs (I forgot to delete the dozen)
I 250g Original Philli cream cheese
1 500g PC bacon
1 700g PC Honey roasted peanuts
3 lbs yellow onions
I “bunch” bananas
2 kg sweet potatoes
1 235g bag of Lays sour cream chips
1 1000ml jar PC Sweet mixed pickles
1 500ml jar PC marinara sauce
1 410g Barilla pasta no5 spaghetti

When I select different pickup locations, it updates the cart price as follows:

Vancouver - $46.17
Calgary - $47.23
Toronto/Ottawa - $51.82

So according to Superstore, Toronto is more expensive than either Calgary or Vancouver (which I believe are in western Canada). Of course someone will now say that Toronto has way cheaper sources the Superstore (it does), but so do those other two cities.

Maybe groceries are cheaper in Ontario (which is not homogeneous), but that hasn't been my experience, regardless of what my "friends and family" may say.

[Nashe]

Originally Posted by shreddog

Vancouver - $46.17
Calgary - $47.23
Toronto/Ottawa - $51.82

Now do Halifax and Moncton just for kicks.

[dleung]

Lol, and do a version that isn't just for college undergrads

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by dleung

Lol, and do a version that isn't just for college undergrads

I just picked some random items, but please feel free to fill a cart with whichever items you see fit.

[shreddog]

Originally Posted by Nashe

Now do Halifax and Moncton just for kicks.

They have a different frontend/backend system for their Atlantic stores so you have to set up a separate user account, though I did try.

[Nashe]

Moncton: $65.67

1 dozen eggs $4.99
30 eggs $11.29
250g cream cheese $4.75
500g pc bacon $8.29
700g pc honey roasted peanuts $5.99
3 lbs yellow onions $2.99
1 bunch bananas $2.51
2 kg sweet potatoes $7.90
235g sour cream chips lays $4.99
1000ml pc sweet mixed pickles $4.49
500ml pc marinara $4.49
410g barilla pasta no5 spaghetti $2.99

[Hecate]

$55.72 in winnipeg…

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by theman23

Huh? I go back to Ontario 2-3 times a year for a few weeks at a time. Groceries aren’t noticeably cheaper. If anything, Ontario seems somewhat more expensive than BC these days, although the small differences get made up by all the eco fees we get dinged with.

I don’t know what’s going on in Alberta, because I’ve always found Quebec to be the most expensive of the three provinces I visit on a regular basis.

Do you still think the US is cheaper? Last week I went to Costco, Target, and Trader Joe's in Bellingham. We bought cheese and a few items not available in Canada, but it was hardly a deal. Then I found the same cheese on sale in Costco Canada and it was likely cheaper!

Anything dairy I understand with the supply management BS we have in Canada, but apart from that, no deals to be had.

[Hecate]

Canadian dairy is more expensive because we have higher standards… don’t forget that. No growth hormones in Canadian milk.

Ever looked at American chicken breasts? I won’t eat them, chickens are not meant to be that large.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Hecate

Canadian dairy is more expensive because we have higher standards… don’t forget that. No growth hormones in Canadian milk.

Ever looked at American chicken breasts? I won’t eat them, chickens are not meant to be that large.

well, I agree with you here.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by Hecate

Canadian dairy is more expensive because we have higher standards… don’t forget that. No growth hormones in Canadian milk.

Ever looked at American chicken breasts? I won’t eat them, chickens are not meant to be that large.

Agree we don't have the hormones, but supply management is most of the reason milk and cheese is expensive in Canada. And it's hard to get imported cheeses because of that protectionism.

We get poultry, beef, and fish direct from the farmer/fisherman almost exclusively.

[WarrenC12]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

well, I agree with you here.

Well, it must be Christmas.

[theman23]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I don't know how much has changed since the early to mid nineties when I lived out West (Kelowna/Vancouver), but food prices were easily 25% higher than those in Quebec, where I had previously lived. Even gas was more expensive in greater Vancouver than it was in Montreal (I had always been led to believe that Montreal had the highest gasoline prices in Canada). Hydro electricity was probably half the price in Quebec vs. BC. Also, I had to pay an annual fee for my BC medicare card, which I never had to pay in Quebec. Taxes were slightly lower, but everything else was much more expensive, including rents.

Most of the grocers now have distribution centres in B.C. When I first arrived seven years ago, prices were a bit higher. Now they’re about the same if not cheaper.

Gas prices and rent are much higher in B.C. Income Taxes are a bit lower than Ontario, but way lower than Quebec. BC income taxes aren’t far off from Alberta, actually. We do have a bunch of boutique sales taxes but they don’t make a big difference in day to day life.