Most Canadians have received the Canada Groceries and Essentials Benefit (CGEB) payment by October 5, marking the second quarterly payment under the new program. This time, the federal government increased the benefit by 25 per cent starting in July, with the increase set to remain in place for five years. Despite the groceries and essentials benefit, a traditional Thanksgiving meal may be pretty expensive for Canadians’ grocery budgets this year.
According to an analysis by Dalhousie University’s Agri-Food Analytics Lab, a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for four is expected to cost $35.72 this year, up 10% from 2025. The calculation includes turkey and side dishes, including potatoes, carrots, dinner rolls, pumpkin pie, cranberries, stuffing and gravy.
