For many Quebecers, it is a top priority for the new year: paying off debt, and saving money. But that may prove to be a challenge with the price of many goods and services on the rise in 2016.
The average household now has $1.64 in debt for every dollar of disposable income. Arnold Zwaig, director of wealth management at ScotiaMcleod, says it's time to reign it in.
“Debt loads used to be only a mortgage. Our grandparents, our parents saved for what they wanted to buy. It wasn’t immediate, they didn’t go online at 2 a.m. onto the Internet and order something so we have to take back some of these older values,” he said.
Here’s an overview of some places where you will spend more and others where you’ll save.
A recent report from the University of Guelph found the average Canadian household spent $300 more on food this year and that consumers can expect to pay $350 on top of that next year.
“Fruits and vegetables has gone up 50 per cent and meat has gone up about 15 to 20 per cent,” said Joe Isernia, manager at grocery store Esposito.
“Instead of buying six or seven tomatoes, they buy two or three. They'll eat a little bit less, but they just buy what they eat since they still have to eat. Lettuce has gone up to $3, $4 each, celery is up to $4, broccoli is up to $3. In this store we’ve never sold broccoli at more than 99 cents,” he said.
Quebecers will have to pay $100 more towards the Quebec Pension Plan and Hydro fees are expected to go up in April.
Parents with kids in subsidized daycares will still pay just over $7 a day, but come tax time they'll have to shell out (based on their gross income) up to $2,200.
Justin Trudeau’s promised federal tax cut for the middle class (and tax hike for top earners) comes into effect on Jan. 1. The income tax rate will drop to 20.5 per cent, down from 22 per cent, for taxable earnings between $45,282 and $90,563. At the same time, the rate on all income earned beyond $200,000 will rise from 29 per cent to 33 per cent. An estimated 319,000 Canadians will fall into this upper tax bracket.
The auto insurance board says fewer accidents means it has a surplus. Drivers without demerit points will save $65 on their licence and registration.
