愛污传媒

Skip to main content

Canada's inflation rate held steady at 6.9% last month: StatCan

Share
OTTAWA -

Canada's annual inflation rate held steady at 6.9 per cent last month.

After declining for several months, the rate of inflation was unchanged in October from September as gas prices went up.

In its latest consumer price index report released Wednesday, the federal agency said higher mortgage interest costs also put upward pressure on inflation.

However, offsetting higher gas prices and rising interest rates was a slowdown in price growth for groceries and natural gas.

Grocery prices have been rising at the fastest pace in decades in recent months. In October, grocery prices were 11 per cent higher than they were a year ago. That's down from 11.4 per cent in September.

Despite the slowdown, grocery prices continued to rise at a faster year-over-year pace than overall inflation for an eleventh consecutive month.

On a monthly basis, the consumer price index was up 0.7 per cent.

The latest inflation numbers come after several months of declines in headline inflation. After reaching a peak of 8.1 per cent in June, inflation has slowed, largely due to tumbling gas prices.

However, gas prices went up in October for the first time since June, climbing 9.2 per cent from September to October.

The cost of living is a top concern in the Canadian economy as inflation erodes purchasing power and pushes the Bank of Canada to raise interest rates rapidly.

However, the gap between inflation and growth in wages is narrowing as inflation slows and wages continue to rise.

In October, wages were up 5.6 per cent compared with a year ago.

The Bank of Canada has raised interest rates six consecutive times since March to clamp down on high inflation. After slashing rates to near-zero during the pandemic, the central bank has moved quickly this year to raise the cost of borrowing for Canadians and businesses.

Higher interest rates are expected to bring about an economic slowdown that the central bank hopes will bring inflation down.

The Bank of Canada will be paying close attention to the latest consumer price index report as it prepares for its next interest rate decision slated in December.

The central bank will have an eye on its preferred core measures of inflation, which tend to be less volatile than the headline rate.

Here's what happened in the provinces (previous month in brackets):

  • Newfoundland and Labrador: 6.5 per cent (6.1)
  • Prince Edward Island: 8.7 per cent (8.4)
  • Nova Scotia: 7.7 per cent (7.3)
  • New Brunswick: 6.9 per cent (6.8)
  • Quebec: 6.4 per cent (6.5)
  • Ontario: 6.5 per cent (6.7)
  • Manitoba: 8.4 per cent (8.1)
  • Saskatchewan: 8.0 per cent (7.1)
  • Alberta: 6.8 per cent (6.2)
  • British Columbia: 7.8 per cent (7.7)

 

The agency also released rates for major cities, but cautioned that figures may have fluctuated widely because they are based on small statistical samples (previous month in brackets):

  • St. John's, N.L.: 6.4 per cent (5.8)
  • Charlottetown-Summerside: 9.4 per cent (9.0)
  • Halifax: 7.7 per cent (7.3)
  • Saint John, N.B.: 7.3 per cent (6.8)
  • Quebec City: 6.7 per cent (6.7)
  • Montreal: 6.7 per cent (6.8)
  • Ottawa: 6.7 per cent (6.8)
  • Toronto: 6.4 per cent (6.6)
  • Thunder Bay, Ont.: 6.7 per cent (6.1)
  • Winnipeg: 8.3 per cent (8.0)
  • Regina: 7.8 per cent (7.0)
  • Saskatoon: 8.0 per cent (6.8)
  • Edmonton: 6.8 per cent (5.9)
  • Calgary: 7.4 per cent (6.8)
  • Vancouver: 7.3 per cent (7.7)
  • Victoria: 7.9 per cent (8.0)
  • Whitehorse: 7.6 per cent (7.5)
  • Yellowknife: 7.1 per cent (7.7)
  • Iqaluit: 4.3 per cent (5.0)

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 16, 2022

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

The president and CEO of New Brunswick-based Covered Bridge Potato Chips is taking an 'extended leave of absence' after being charged with domestic violence this past weekend.

A memorial is growing outside a Walmart in Halifax after a 19-year-old employee was found dead inside an oven in the store Saturday night.

A search has started at Prairie Green Landfill for the remains of two victims of a serial killer.

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

Local Spotlight

He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.

A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.

Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.

A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.

A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.

A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.

Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.

Looking for a scare with good intentions this Halloween season? The ghosts and ghouls of Eganville, Ont. invite families to tour the Haunted Walk at Lekbor Manor.

The image of a sleepy Saskatchewan small town with 'not a lot going on' is a well-known anecdote. However, one Saskatchewan company is hoping to change that 鈥 and allow communities both on and off the beaten path to share their stories and advertise what they have to offer.

Stay Connected