This roundup from The Canadian Press highlights key developments in Canada, focusing on economic outlooks, employment trends, climate reporting, and ongoing controversies.
Budget Officer's Updated Fiscal and Economic Outlook
The Parliamentary Budget Officer (PBO) is set to release an updated economic and fiscal outlook today, September 25, 2025, at 9 a.m. ET. This comes amid increasing scrutiny over the upcoming federal budget. Jason Jacques, the budget officer, previously indicated uncertainty regarding whether the federal government has maintained its fiscal anchors, provoking discussion among MPs at a parliamentary committee hearing last week. Prime Minister Mark Carney defended the government's stance, asserting that there are metrics in place to guide public finance decisions sustainably.
Current Forces Driving Inflation
As Members of Parliament (MPs) reconvene in the House of Commons, they face ongoing concerns regarding inflation, which is now influenced by new dynamics. Consumers are still grappling with the aftermath of significant inflation post-pandemic, characterized by steep increases in housing, fuel, and grocery prices. Currently, factors such as tariffs, taxes, and government spending are contributing to rising costs of living. The latest figures from Statistics Canada revealed that the annual inflation rate increased to 1.9 percent in August, up from 1.7 percent in July.
Decline in Student Employment within Federal Government
A report from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat indicates a substantial decrease in student jobs within the federal government, which fell nearly 20 percent between March 2024 and March 2025. The data shows that student employment decreased from 9,120 to 7,370 over this period. Notably, Canada Revenue Agency experienced the most significant cut, with its student workforce plummeting from 1,356 to just 268 in one year. The figures exclude employees on leave without pay, ministers' exempt staff, and other specific categories.
Uneven Progress in Emission Disclosure
A new report from the Institute for Sustainable Finance at Queen's University's Smith School of Business reveals that while Canadian companies are gradually improving their reporting on carbon emissions, the progress is inconsistent, and significant reductions in emissions are still lacking. In 2023, approximately 79 percent of companies listed on the S&P TSX Composite Index reported emissions from their operations, an increase from 72 percent in 2021. However, when assessed by market capitalization, the percentage declined from 91 percent to 88 percent, largely due to some energy producers retracting sustainability disclosures following the introduction of anti-greenwashing regulations by the federal government last year.
Investigation into Threats Linked to B.C. Ostrich Cull
In British Columbia, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are investigating a surge in threats against businesses involved or suspected to be associated with a cull of about 400 ostriches. This cull was ordered by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) in response to an avian influenza outbreak identified at Universal Ostrich Farms last December. The threats are characterized as attempts to intimidate businesses that continue to participate in the cull, which has been temporarily halted by a Supreme Court of Canada stay as it reviews an appeal from the farm challenging a lower court’s earlier decision. The CFIA has committed to adhering to the court's stay while overseeing the enclosure at the affected farm.
