Statistics Canada's latest update on monthly retail food prices provides an in-depth look at how food costs are evolving across Canada. I took a closer look at the Atlantic provinces to better understand how regional food costs are shifting over time.

Over the past three years, protein products such as chicken breasts and ground beef recorded some of the highest price increases. In contrast, plant-based proteins like tofu and meatless burgers remained relatively stable and more affordable. Among essential staples, prices for eggs, white bread, lentils, and potatoes have trended consistently upward, contributing to household cost pressures across the region. The patterns are consistent across Atlantic Canada, with all four provinces showing similar movements in these core food categories.

Fresh produce showed strong seasonal price movements, with tomatoes, strawberries, and apples seeing noticeable winter spikes. The seasonal swings remain a key driver of monthly food budget variation for households. Comparing provincial averages, Nova Scotia and PEI maintained relatively lower prices for several essentials, including potatoes, bread, and eggs. Newfoundland and Labrador faced higher average prices for items such as butter and milk.

These longer-term inflation patterns are clearly visible when comparing different time periods. Ground beef, butter, and bread show notable gains in the one-year view, while cumulative increases in core proteins and staples remain substantial over the past three years. In more recent months, some items have stabilized, but products such as chicken breasts and apples continue to show upward pressure. These movements align with the broader trend of persistent food inflation across the region.

These patterns highlight how inflation and regional conditions continue to shape food costs for Atlantic Canadian households.

I recently explored  Statistics Canada data on Canada’s investment income from 2010 to Q1 2025, and the long-term trend is clear. Total receipts have grown steadily and strongly, rising from about 61.6 billion dollars in 2010 to approximately 247.6 billion in 2024. What’s especially notable is how consistent this growth has been across all four quarters, suggesting this rise is structural, not seasonal. Even Q1 of 2025 has already reached 66.2 billion dollars, putting the country on pace to potentially surpass previous records this year.

Breaking down the sources of investment income, direct investment remains the dominant channel, contributing 127.1 billion dollars in 2024. However, interest income has increased significantly, from 18.8 billion in 2022 to 59.9 billion in 2024, likely influenced by global interest rate changes. Portfolio investment income has also expanded steadily, reaching 60.7 billion in 2024. These trends reflect deeper Canadian engagement in global capital markets and a maturing international investment profile.

Recent data suggests that Canada may now be receiving more investment income from abroad than it pays out. The net quarterly gains have been moderate, ranging from 1.1 to 3.7 billion dollars across 2023 and 2024. Still, this marks a reversal from the persistent deficits seen over the previous decade. It will be important to watch the next few quarters to confirm whether this shift continues.

Across Canada’s Atlantic provinces, the labour market continues to evolve. I analyzed seasonally adjusted monthly unemployment data from 2022 to April 2025, published by  Statistics Canada, focusing on unemployment rates for the total population, men, and women.

Among the Atlantic provinces, Newfoundland and Labrador continues to report the highest unemployment, but early 2025 shows a promising decline, especially when compared to previous years. Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick also show slight improvements, while Nova Scotia is experiencing a mild uptick. That said, unemployment in Nova Scotia has become less volatile over time, pointing to growing labour market stability.

From a gender perspective, the gap between men and women is most pronounced in Newfoundland, where men face significantly higher unemployment. Across all provinces except PEI, men consistently have higher unemployment rates than women. In Nova Scotia, women’s unemployment has steadily declined year after year, while men’s rates show more fluctuation and sharper short-term spikes.

While early 2025 data is limited, there are signs of a potential turning point for men in Newfoundland, with unemployment beginning to decline. These patterns raise important questions about sectoral employment shifts, gender dynamics, and where targeted support may be most needed.

Following Statistics Canada's recent release on building permits, I took a closer look at the numbers for Atlantic Canada — both in total value and per capita terms.

While Nova Scotia consistently led in total permit value, New Brunswick stood out by 2025 in per capita investment, building more relative to its population. Prince Edward Island spiked in 2021 but saw slower activity afterward. Newfoundland and Labrador remained steady but lower than peers.

The charts show data from March 2021 to 2025, along with average annual trends. Looking at both total and per capita values helps us better understand where construction is growing the fastest — and who’s building the most compared to their size.

Inspired by Our World in Data’s recent article on Engel’s Law from Our World in Data, I wondered how the same relationship plays out within Canada. I turned to Statistics Canada’s 2021 Household Spending Survey and plotted each province.

The pattern is kinda similar. Ontario’s households record one of the highest total expenditures, yet allocate the smallest share of that budget to food, at roughly 10 percent. By contrast, households in Newfoundland and Labrador spend less overall, but food claims about 13.9 percent of their outlays. Alberta leads in grocery dollars, yet strong incomes keep its food share close to the national average.

Even within a single high-income country, rising purchasing power frees up space for housing, education, leisure, and savings.