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Centre for Future Work

A non-partisan centre of excellence, developing timely and practical policy proposals to help make the world of work better for working people and their families.

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  • Research
    • Research
    • Sector Bargaining Clearing House
  • Coverage & Commentary
  • PowerShare
  • False Profits
  • Online Learning
    • Debunkers’ Academy
    • Economics for Everyone: How to Cut Through the Jargon
  • Environment & Work,  Inflation,  Macroeconomics,  Research

    New Report Shows Speculative Oil Markets Drove Inflation Crisis — And It’s Poised to Happen Again

    March 19, 2025 /

    A new report from the Centre for Future Work reveals that financial speculation in global oil markets — not supply shortages or carbon pricing — was the primary driver of Canada’s inflation surge in 2022. The report, Counting the Costs, finds that inflated oil and gas prices, passed directly and indirectly to Canadian consumers and businesses, cost each household an average of $12,000 over three years.

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    Jim Stanford
  • Commentary,  Inflation,  Technology

    High-Tech Price-Fixing

    December 2, 2024 /

    One worrisome feature of recent bursts of inflation has been the role of automated price-fixing technologies in pushing up prices across entire industries. Companies use special programs to search out the prices being charged by competitors, and detect changes in demand. These algorithms can then adjust prices quickly, at the level judged to be the highest the market will bear.

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    Jim Stanford
  • Commentary,  Inflation,  Macroeconomics

    Explainer Video on Corporate Power and Profit-Led Inflation

    September 11, 2024 /

    Centre for Future Work Director Jim Stanford is featured in a new 6-minute video, produced by the Broadbent Institute, discussing the role of corporate price hikes in post-pandemic inflation.

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    Jim Stanford
  • Commentary,  Inflation,  Macroeconomics

    Regulating Prices Not Such a Crazy Idea

    August 25, 2024 /

    Kamala Harris’s entry into the U.S. presidential campaign has had a dramatic impact on political discourse there – not just in the opinion polls, but in policy thinking, as well. For example, in her recently-unveiled economic platform she advocates new federal laws against price-gouging, to limit the power of private businesses to unreasonably jack up prices for groceries and other essentials...

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    Jim Stanford
  • Inflation,  Macroeconomics,  Research,  Wages

    New Data on Link Between Profits and Inflation

    June 22, 2024 /

    Consumer price inflation has decelerated in Canada in the last year, as rapidly as it accelerated in the 2021-2022 period (sparking high interest rates which in turn caused a painful economic slowdown). At last reading (for April 2024), year-over-year CPI inflation had slowed to 2.7% (down from 8% less than two years earlier). That’s within the Bank of Canada’s target range (2% plus or minus a cushion of 1%). And low enough that the Bank cut its policy rate for the first time in this cycle in June. Many credit the Bank of Canada’s tough monetary medicine for this quick slowdown in inflation. But that assumes that the initial driving…

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    Jim Stanford
  • Commentary,  Inflation

    Documentary Shines Light on Excessive Food Prices in Canada

    April 4, 2024 /

    Rapidly rising food prices have been a major component of the cost-of-living crisis affecting Canadian households in the aftermath of the COVID pandemic. Food price inflation was significantly faster than overall inflation in 2022 and 2023.

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    Jim Stanford
  • Inflation,  Macroeconomics,  Research

    Canadian Corporate Profits Remain Elevated Despite Economic Slowdown

    February 27, 2024 /

    Statistics Canada has released year-end data on corporate financial performance for 2023. The new data confirm that corporate profits remain elevated relative to pre-COVID norms, despite the stalling of economic growth in 2023, largely due to weak consumer demand conditions caused by two years of high interest rates.

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    Jim Stanford
  • Commentary,  Inflation,  Trade Unions,  Wages

    Real Wages are Recovering… and That’s Good News!

    January 21, 2024 /

    The beginning of 2024 brought some good labour market news for a change: average real wages in Canada increased in 2023, reversing some of the damage from post-COVID inflation.

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    Jim Stanford
  • Commentary,  Inflation,  Macroeconomics

    Risks and Uncertainties Facing Canada’s Economy in 2024

    January 8, 2024 /

    Canada’s economy enters the New Year facing a wide range of challenges and uncertainties: high interest rates, stalling economic growth, and rising unemployment. To review the outlook, CBC Radio’s Sunday Magazine, hosted by Piya Chattopadhyay, recently broadcast a full 20-minute interview with Centre for Future Work Director Jim Stanford.

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    Jim Stanford
  • Commentary,  Environment & Work,  Inflation

    Review of Gas Price Roller-Coaster in 2023 Revealed Important Lessons

    January 3, 2024 /

    As 2023 drew to a close, it wa3s instructive to review the path of gasoline prices (which are the most volatile major component in Canada’s consumer price index) over the year. According to the GasBuddy website, the average price on December 31 was $1.39/litre. That was 5₵ cheaper than at the beginning of 2023. But gas prices followed a long, winding road to get there.

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    Jim Stanford
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Recent Posts

  • Per Capita GDP is a Deeply Flawed Measure of Economic Performance and Living Standards
  • Lessons from (Another) Crude Oil Price Collapse
  • Most of our GDP Never Crosses a Border
  • New Report Shows Speculative Oil Markets Drove Inflation Crisis — And It’s Poised to Happen Again
  • Three New Videos: Trump’s Trade War; Wages, Profits & Prices; and Defending Living Standards

About Us

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The Centre for Future Work conducts progressive research on labour issues, with offices in Canada and Australia. In Canada, the Centre works in collaboration with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. In Australia, the Centre is a project of the Australia Institute.

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