Seniors fight surprise collections bill; Why prices are going up, up, up; CBC's Marketplace cheat sheet

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They've never laid eyes on the water heater in question, but that didn't stop a collection agency from sending Herman and Patricia Bucking a bill for it anyway. Seven years after the couple built their dream home from the ground up on a 40 hectare farm outside of Orangeville, Ont., they opened the mail to find a $692.43 bill for a Reliance Home Comfort rental water heater they knew nothing about. "I was shocked and couldn't figure out why and what this was all about," said Patricia Bucking in an interview with Go Public. When the couple bought the property, they got a permit to tear down the previous owner's old farmhouse and build their own. They didn't know anything about a rental water heater or the contract that went with it. After hearing from Go Public, Reliance said it would overturn the charge and ensure the couple would never hear from a collection agency again. But the Buckings were hardly alone in their predicament. They're among the dozens of homeowners who have contacted Go Public because of fights to get out of rental contracts they never signed for HVAC equipment, such as furnaces, air conditioners and more.Marketplace recently teamed up with Go Public for a hidden camera investigation that uncovered some of the deceptive tactics used to sell overpriced HVAC contracts. Read more

It doesn't matter if you're just stopping into the store to buy some milk and eggs or saving to buy your first home — chances are you're going to experience some sticker shock. That's because the price of nearly everything is rising.  The Canadian Real Estate Association says the average home price increased by 21 per cent in the past year to $748,450 — the highest on record.  Meanwhile, the rate of inflation continues to increase, rising to 5.1%, the highest levels since 1991, according to Statistics Canada. Supply-chain imbalances caused by the pandemic, coupled with record amounts of stimulus spending, have combined to push up inflation just about everywhere. We might first notice inflation at the gas tank, but eventually higher energy and transportation costs hit businesses, too, trickling down to the price we pay for things like food at the grocery store or clothes at the mall. It all adds up to a situation where the cost of living for most Canadians is higher than it has been in years. Read more

If confusing travel regulations — not to mention the recent Omicron wave of COVID-19 — have been making you think twice about travelling outside the country, you can soon take one item off your list.  Starting on Feb. 28, Canada will be removing the pre-arrival PCR test requirement for travellers coming to Canada. That means that if you're returning home from a trip, or have family visiting from down south, they won't need to spend money on a potentially costly PCR test. Instead a cheaper and faster rapid antigen test will suffice. The government is also planning to remove its advisory against non-essential travel abroad, paving the way for a return to leisure travel for many Canadians who've been waiting for the advisory to lift. Some Canadians, however, say they won't be happy until the government stops making triple-vaccinated Canadians take a test to enter the country, period. Read more

Many provinces might be ready to throw in the towel on vaccine passports, but some small business owners aren't quite ready to do the same thing. Alberta and Saskatchewan have both already ended their vaccine passport policies, while other provinces, including Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador plan to do so starting next month.  Although most businesses are expected to drop their vaccine requirements in line with provinces, not all are following suit — despite the possibility that they could face a backlash. Dave Kantor, owner of The Cave Beastro in Edmonton, said he decided to keep his restaurant's vaccine mandate in place because he felt it was premature for Alberta to drop the requirement. He said his decision has garnered mixed reviews, with some people applauding it. Others, not so much. Still, he says he has no regrets about his decision and won't drop his vaccine requirement until he feels it's safe to do so. Read more

Some immunocompromised Canadians face anxious future with lifting of COVID-19 restrictions Removal of mask mandates and vaccine passports in some provinces leave those who are high-risk feeling vulnerable.

What we know — and what we still need to learn — about long COVID Diagnosing long COVID can be difficult given the lack of research on the condition.

These candles have been recalled due to a fire hazard Consumers should immediately stop using the candle and return it to an Anthropologie store.

Do you get regular phone calls claiming there's a package being detained for you by Canadian authorities? Or demanding you owe money in unpaid taxes? If so, we want to hear from you! Send us your name and phone number and we may get in touch with you. Email us at marketplace@cbc.ca. 

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