Food got sharply more expensive versus the previous year, Statistics Canada reported, with the 11.4 per cent increase in grocery costs the highest since August 1981. Bad growing weather, higher prices for fertilizer and natural gas, and global instability due to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine were all factors, the agency said. (The Logic)

Talking point: Price increases also stayed higher than wage increases (which averaged 5.2 per cent, year over year), so workers have continued falling behind. The annual increase in consumer prices was 8.1 per cent in June, 7.6 per cent in July and seven per cent in August. That made September the fourth straight month of slower inflation, but the rate is still several times the Bank of Canada’s two per cent target. The central bank is due to release a quarterly report on the economy and update its trend-setting interest rate on Oct. 26, and governor Tiff Macklem has said to expect further increases as the bank tries to throttle inflation. In a speech this morning, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland warned of a painful autumn.