Life in Canada gets more costly in 2013

A new year means new hits to the bank accounts of Canadians.
Employment Insurance and Canada Pension premiums are going up. Workers who make more than $47,400 will pay $891, up $51 from last year, and employers will pay $1,247 in EI premiums, up $72. Workers and employers will both pay an extra $49 in CPP premiums, with workers paying $2,356 in 2013.
The price of mailing a letter is going up as well. Starting January 14, Canada Post will charge Canadians 63 cents to mail a standard letter (weighing up to 30 grams) in Canada, up two cents.
That same day, standard domestic letters weighing between 30 and 50 grams will go up five cents, to $1.10.
Letters bound for the U.S. – that weigh up to 30 grams – will also cost $1.10. Other countries will cost $1.85.
Domestic registered mail will be hiked up to $8.50.
Canadians and small businesses can save money by buying "PERMANENT" stamps. Until January 14, one PERMANENT stamp will cost 61 cents. But after the price hike takes effect, you'll still be able to use only the PERMANENT stamp to mail a 63-cent letter.
In other words, it doesn't matter how much you paid for the PERMANENT stamp. It'll always be worth the current rate for mailing standard domestic letters, so you won't have to buy those 1-cent stamps to compensate for price hikes.
Canada Post says the increases are necessary to maintain service costs.
Leaving the country to escape domestic financial worries will leave you digging deeper too. The cost of a five-year Canadian passport will increase to $120, from $87, on July 1.
The children's passport, for ages 3 to 15, will cost $57 instead of $37.
On the same date, the federal government is introducing a 10-year passport that will cost $160.
Without the fee increases, Passport Canada would not be able to maintain current operations, let alone offer security-enhanced travel documents, the agency says.
By March 2014, Passport Canada will also charge an additional $45 to replace a passport that's lost or stolen, something that's currently free. Approximately 55,000 Canadian passports are reported lost or stolen annually, the agency said.
As well, anyone ordering or wanting to receive their passport outside of Canada will see fees nearly double
The agency said it's currently losing nearly $5 every time it issues a passport, and has been financing its deficit by using previously accumulated surpluses that will run out next year. Passport fees in Canada have not increased for nearly a decade, the agency noted.

"Passport Canada is quickly reaching a point where not only will new advancements such as the ePassport be impossible, but the organization's ability to maintain current operations and deliver its mandate will be jeopardized," the agency said in a statement posted on the Canada Gazette website.
The ePassport looks like a regular passport booklet, but contains an electronic chip that holds all of the personal information listed on the second page of the document.
By March 2014, Passport Canada will also charge $45 to replace a lost or stolen passport. There is currently no fee for that.
© Global News. A division of Shaw Media Inc., 2012