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Ah, the contemporary Canadian grocery trip. It’s not just a simple walk through aisles anymore; it’s a tense, emotionally draining journey that usually concludes with me holding my wallet tightly like it’s a safety net and gazing sadly at the checkout screen. Today, my deep-seated anxiety was summed up perfectly by a tweet from TheRealMrBench on X. He shared a harsh truth that resonated throughout the online world, striking me right in my core: my daughter’s hunger for steaks.
“Today, Costco had 4 steaks priced at $98.46,” he announced, followed by a collective sigh from everyone: “Prices just keep rising.” And then came the real blow, the statement that really hurt my already stretched budget: “Whatever actions our government is taking to make life more affordable for Canadians are completely ineffective.”
Exactly right, Mr. Bench. You’ve nailed it. Four steaks for almost a hundred dollars? That’s not just a family meal; that’s a financial plan.
The Steak Shock of ’25
Let’s be real, there was a time – a simpler, more innocent time, maybe in the legendary land of “before 2020” – when “steak night” was a special occasion. Now, it’s about looking longingly at steak photos online while munching on a bowl of very cheap Kraft Dinner.
When I first came across that tweet, I actually had to do a double-take. “Ninety-eight dollars and forty-six cents?” I said to my dog, who just stuck her tongue out at me, clearly not bothered by the rising prices of prime beef. That’s nearly $25 for each steak! At that price, I expect the cow to have graduated from McGill University, scaled Mount Everest, and then given me financial advice along with its tenderloin. Seriously, is it grass-fed, grain-finished, and pampered daily by tiny, well-paid chickens? Because for that amount, the least it could do is come with a free therapy session to help me deal with the shock.
I recall when “Costco” used to bring to mind images of bulk savings and the happy abundance of cheap baby wipes for my daughter. Now, it feels less like a place for bargains and more like a private club where the entry fee is your first-born (sorry Megan) and your whole grocery budget. You walk in, thinking positively, “I just need a few things.” You walk out, three hours later, with a pallet of toilet paper, a three-piece luggage set, a year’s supply of printer paper, and an empty bank account, wondering if you accidentally stumbled into an auction house instead of a grocery store. And the steaks? Those are just the cherry on top of the financial disaster sundae. My ancestors would be appalled. They fought wars for less than what a single sirloin costs today.
The Government’s ‘Affordability’ Jigsaw Puzzle
This leads us to the highlight of Mr. Bench’s tweet, the part that really hits home for Canadians feeling the pinch: “Whatever our government is doing to make life more affordable for Canadians is not working at all.”
This statement sums up the vibe perfectly. I can picture a secret government think tank, filled with well-intentioned people, trying to come up with ways to reduce our living costs. “Eureka!” one might shout, “Let’s launch a new program called ‘The Canadian Affordability Initiative’!” Another chimes in, “Great idea! And then we’ll accidentally pass a law that makes steak more expensive than gold!” They all celebrate with high-fives and head home, totally unaware that my grocery expenses just skyrocketed.
It feels like we’re stuck in a frustrating game of “affordability” whac-a-mole with Mark Carney as the mole. You save a bit on gas this week, only to find that cheese now costs as much as a car payment. Rent keeps soaring higher than an espresso-fueled orangutan, and owning a home is just a dream. It’s like a mirage, and basic needs are starting to feel like luxury goods. I’m half-expecting to see “an air conditioner” for sale at my local convenience store soon, just to add a little more inflation to the mix.
I really question whether the term “affordable” has been changed. Maybe it now refers to “you can still look at things you used to purchase without crying right away.” Or perhaps the government’s plan is to raise prices so high that we just stop desiring things, achieving “affordability” through total hopelessness. It’s a daring approach. We’ll find out if it works for them (it definitely isn’t working for us).
The truth is, the typical Canadian is really feeling the pressure, the tight squeeze, the overall economic crunch. We’re seeing our hopes for a comfortable lifestyle fade away quicker than the wool sweater my husband accidentally shrank in the hot dryer. That tweet about the steak wasn’t just about meat; it highlighted the increasing gap between the talk of affordability and the harsh truth of our bank accounts.
So, while I’m grateful for the important service Mr. Bench did by pointing out the ridiculousness of a nearly $100 steak package, I’m left with a deep sense of culinary sadness. Maybe it’s time to get a good pair of binoculars to watch my neighbor’s use their smoker from a safe, budget-friendly distance. Or, even better, I could start a petition for government-funded spaghetti noodles. It’s not steak, but at least I won’t have to sell a kidney for dinner. Unless, of course, the price of that goes up next. Let’s not tempt fate.
Valerie Cox
Ohhh so true. Before heading in to a grocery store you need to check your credit score, and what available credit you have remaining before purchasing anything. Than when you walk in — instead of being greeted by a store employee its a marketer trying to entice you to apply for another credit card apparently with lower rates as they too know your going to need it when you cash out!!!
Things are getting out of hand, like really the government needs to do something now as people cant afford to eat!
We eat more chicken than anything. Or lean ground beef.
Wait, you can afford Kraft dinner? Fancy! I’m still over here adding dollar store tuna to my my ramen noodles for a better flavor.