Hour 1 of Ottawa Now for Fri. August 14th, 2026

Do you think grocers are using inflation as an excuse to hike prices? According to a new survey from Omnisend, there is a growing wave of consumer frustration within Canada's supermarkets. It reveals that almost 90 percent of respondents said they think brands are using inflation as a crutch – and that’s damaging their perception of brands they used to trust. We open the debate floor with Stuart Smyth, a Professor in Agricultural Economics at the University of Saskatchewan. Meantime, when it rains, it certainly pours. Yet another mid-week storm has wreaked havoc for Ottawa’s residents, cutting out power and taking down trees. Oh, and causing more flooding. Joining us in Hour 1 is Riley Sheldrick, the owner of Russell-based Green Thumb Tree Specialists. But first, we bring you up to speed on today’s top headlines.