Canadians across the country cheered Toronto Blue Jays star George Springer’s seventh-inning homer that propelled his team to the World Series, but the ones with the most to cheer about may be the city’s restaurant and bar owners.

The Blue Jays on Monday punched their ticket to the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers after a dramatic comeback win in Game 7 of the American League Championship Series.

The deep run into October is a boon for local businesses, which stand to benefit from millions of dollars in added sales, according to data from

Moneris , with even more to come. “When the city comes alive for major events, local businesses feel the energy too,” Sean McCormick, vice-president of business development and data services at Moneris, said in a release.

“In Toronto’s jam-packed entertainment scene, any lift the Jays generate is notable because of all the spending noise it has to cut through. The real winners here, though, are business owners, as the data highlights how major events — from playoff baseball to concerts and hockey — collectively fuel Toronto’s downtown economy.”

For game one of the divisional series against the New York Yankees, transaction volume near Rogers Centre climbed six per cent compared to an average regular season game, and the transaction size rose one per cent, meaning restaurants had more customers who were also spending more.

In Toronto as a whole, transaction volume climbed four per cent and the transaction size also rose one per cent.

By game four — held in New York on a Wednesday — transaction volume climbed 15 per cent at restaurants around the stadium and there was an 11 per cent increase in transaction size. There was also a four per cent climb in both transaction volume and size in restaurants around the city.

“Even when the Jays hit the road, Toronto’s restaurant scene stayed in the game,” McCormick said. “While fans aren’t congregating downtown, spending per diner still rose, with average transaction sizes near the arena climbing up to 11 per cent. Fans who stayed local made every visit count, turning fewer outings into higher-value experiences.”

The good news for Toronto businesses is that the best may be still to come.

Last year’s World Series between the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers brought in an estimated US$25 million for the New York City economy per home game.

“Playoff excitement has a ripple effect that reaches well beyond the ballpark,” McCormick said.

In 2022, the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau said the Phillies’ playoff run generated US$78 million for the city, and Houston First in 2019 said that each of the Astros’ three World Series home games that year brought in US$8 million in economic impact for the city.

One downside? Inflation. Spectator entertainment charges climbed 10.7 per cent year over year in September, the fastest growth in 30 years, according to the latest inflation data.

Douglas Porter, chief economist at the Bank of Montreal , said World Series ticket prices in Toronto should drive that inflation figure even higher in October.

 Sign up here to get Posthaste delivered straight to your inbox.

Canada’s inflation rate ticked up to 2.4 per cent in September, up from 1.9 per cent in August and above expectations.

Economists had been expecting an inflation reading of 2.2 per cent for the month.

The rise is attributed to a slower decline in gas prices, a slower decline in travel tour prices and higher food costs.

Economists still believe other core economic measures will lead to an interest rate cut on Oct. 29.

  • Today’s earnings: Tesla Inc., SAP SE, IBM Corp. AT&T Inc.
  • GM ends EV production in Ingersoll, Ont., in latest blow to Canada’s auto sector
  • Inflation heats up before Bank of Canada decision
  • Cenovus delays shareholder vote on MEG takeover offer on signs bid could fall short of necessary support
  • Think landing a job is hard? Try having ‘DEI’ on your resume

Read more here.  Young Canadians are increasingly looking to appear financially stable as they head into the real world after graduation, despite most feeling like they are falling behind their peers. Financial success is coming harder to generation Z Canadians, with nearly half running into roadblocks when it comes to the cost of living.

Are you worried about having enough for retirement? Do you need to adjust your portfolio? Are you starting out or making a change and wondering how to build wealth? Are you trying to make ends meet? Drop us a line at wealth@postmedia.com with your contact info and the gist of your problem and we’ll find some experts to help you out while writing a Family Finance story about it (we’ll keep your name out of it, of course).

McLister on mortgages

Read more here . Want to learn more about mortgages? Mortgage strategist Robert McLister’s

Financial Post column can help navigate the complex sector, from the latest trends to financing opportunities you won’t want to miss. Plus check his

Financial Post on YouTube

mortgage rate page for Canada’s lowest national mortgage rates, updated daily. Visit the Financial Post’s YouTube channel for interviews with Canada’s leading experts in business, economics, housing, the energy sector and more.

Today’s Posthaste was written by Ben Cousins with additional reporting from Financial Post staff, Canadian Press and Bloomberg.

Have a story idea, pitch, embargoed report, or a suggestion for this newsletter? Email us at 

  • ‘Build, baby, build’ strategy risks labour shortages, cost overruns
  • As employees battle burnout, companies lose millions

posthaste@postmedia.com . Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the business news you need to know — add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here