Raw Materials Price Index rises
The Raw Materials Price Index (RMPI) increased 12.0% month over month in March, driven by higher prices for crude energy products. Excluding crude energy products, the RMPI increased 0.2%. Prices for crude energy products rose 41.1% in March, the largest monthly gain for this group since May 2020. Both conventional crude oil (+44.3%) and synthetic crude oil (+38.5%) posted monthly increases in March 2026. On a yearly basis, the RMPI rose 23.6% in March. Excluding crude energy products, the RMPI posted a 21.8% year-over-year rise in March.
Source: Industrial product and raw materials price indexes, March 2026
Higher energy prices drive up inflation
The Consumer Price Index increased 2.4% year over year in March, up from an increase of 1.8% in February. Driving faster price growth in headline inflation were higher prices for energy, especially gasoline. Consumers paid 5.9% more for gasoline in March than they did in the same month the previous year. Prices surged 21.2% on a monthly basis, the largest price increase for gasoline on record.
Source: Consumer Price Index, March 2026
The rate of firearm-related violent crime posts its largest drop in 10 years
In 2024, 2.6% of police-reported violent crimes in Canada involved a firearm. Close to 14,500 violent crimes involved a firearm, for a rate of 36.0 firearm-related violent crimes per 100,000 population. This was down 4.2% from 2023 (37.6 incidents per 100,000 population) and represents the largest decrease since 2014. However, the rate of firearm-related violent crime in 2024 was 44% higher than 10 years earlier (25.0 incidents per 100,000 population).
Productivity at Canadian firms that adopt artificial intelligence
Artificial intelligence (AI) is reshaping the way businesses operate—but how much does it truly boost productivity? The article "Artificial intelligence adoption and productivity in Canadian firms" shows that AI adopters are 16.8% more productive than non-adopters. The findings highlight that unlocking AI's full productivity potential requires complementary investments in skills, infrastructure, and digital transformation—a critical insight for translating AI adoption into sustained economic growth.
Employed seniors: two in five worked part-time in 2025
In 2025, the labour force participation rate for Canadian workers aged 65 years and older was 15.2%, the fifth consecutive annual increase. This represents nearly 1.2 million seniors who were either employed or searching for work in 2025, or 5.2% of the total labour force. The participation rate in 2025 is also the largest on record for that age group since the Labour Force Survey started tracking it in 1976. Roughly two in five employed Canadians aged 65 years and older (41.6%) worked part-time in 2025. Of them, four in five people (79.9%) cited it was personal preference, the most common reason given in all years when asked.
Source: A record number of Canadian seniors worked in 2025: Here are some reasons why
Contact information
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