Consumer Price Index

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Consumer prices rose 2.2% in the 12 months to February, following the 2.3% increase posted in January.

Energy prices rose 10.6% during the 12 months to February, after posting a 9.0% increase the previous month. Gasoline prices continued to increase in February, rising 15.7%, after recording a 13.0% increase in the 12 months to January.

Excluding gasoline, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.6% in the 12 months to February, compared with a 1.8% increase in January.

On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, consumer prices held steady from January to February, after a period of seven consecutive monthly increases. The transportation index, which includes gasoline, increased 0.2% in February, a slower rate of growth than the 1.0% increase observed in the previous month. The food index rose 0.2% in February, following a 0.4% increase in January. The clothing and footwear index posted a decline of 0.1%, after falling 1.2% in January.

12-month change: Increases in six of the eight major components

On a year-over-year basis, prices increased in six of the eight major components of the CPI in the 12 months to February.

The largest increase occurred in the transportation component, where prices rose 5.1% in the 12 months to February, after a 4.8% increase in January.

In addition to higher gasoline prices in the 12 months to February, consumers paid 4.0% more in passenger vehicle insurance premiums. They also paid more for air transportation but less for the purchase of passenger vehicles.

Shelter costs rose 2.2% in February, matching the increase in January. Homeowners' replacement cost increased 3.5% in the 12 months to February. Consumers paid more for electricity as well as for fuel oil and other fuels.

However, the mortgage interest cost index, which measures the change in the interest portion of payments on outstanding mortgage debt, continued to decrease. Consumers also paid less for natural gas.

Food prices went up 2.1% in the 12 months to February, identical to the increase in January. Food purchased from stores increased 2.0% in February. Prices rose for bread, unsweetened rolls and buns as well as for confectionery. Consumers paid 2.6% more for food purchased from restaurants.

Prices for household operations, furnishings and equipment increased 1.7% between February 2010 and February 2011. Within this component, higher prices were recorded for several items, notably for child care, domestic services and Internet access.

Prices for health and personal care advanced 2.0% in February, on the heels of a 1.8% rise in January. Consumers paid more for dental care and non-prescribed medicines, while prices for prescribed medicines fell.

For clothing and footwear, prices declined 2.0% in February, following a 2.4% decrease in January. Consumers paid less for women's clothing and children's clothing.

The recreation, education and reading price index decreased 0.3% in the 12 months to February, after increasing 1.6% in the previous month. Traveller accommodation was among the main contributors to this decrease. In February 2010, when Vancouver was hosting the Winter Olympics, prices for hotel rooms were much higher than they were in the same month this year. Consumers also paid less for travel tours in February 2011 compared with February 2010.

The provinces

Consumer prices rose in every province between February 2010 and February 2011. Drivers faced double-digit price increases for gasoline in all provinces except Manitoba.

In the 12 months to February, the largest increases in consumer prices were observed in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador. In those provinces, fuel oil and other fuels are used more extensively for home heating.

In Ontario, consumer prices rose 2.5% in the 12 months to February, after advancing 2.9% in January. More than half of the 0.4 percentage point decrease can be attributed to a smaller year-over-year increase in electricity prices in February compared with January. Electricity prices increased 1.1% in February, much less than the 10.4% increase recorded the month before.

Gasoline prices rose 18.3% in Ontario following a 15.6% increase in January. Consumers in Ontario also paid more for passenger vehicle insurance premiums.

Consumer prices in Quebec increased 2.2% in the 12 months to February, following a 2.1% increase in January. Prices for gasoline rose 15.8%. Prices for fuel oil and other fuels also increased.

Prices in British Columbia went up 1.8% in the 12 months to February, following a 2.3% increase in January. Consumers paid 12.6% more for gasoline and 7.8% more for food purchased from restaurants. Conversely, consumers paid less for traveller accommodation.

In Alberta, prices rose 1.2% in February, following a 1.0% increase in January. Consumers in Alberta paid 15.3% more for gasoline. Electricity prices also rose.

The Bank of Canada's core index

The Bank of Canada's core index advanced 0.9% in the 12 months to February, following a 1.4% rise in January.

The seasonally adjusted monthly core index fell 0.1% in February, following a 0.1% increase the previous month.

For a more detailed analysis, consult the publication The Consumer Price Index.

Available on CANSIM: tables 326-0009, 326-0012, 326-0015 and 326-0020 to 326-0022.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2301.

More information about the concepts and use of the CPI are also available online in Your Guide to the Consumer Price Index (62-557-X, free) from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

The February 2011 issue of The Consumer Price Index, Vol. 90, no. 2 (62-001-X, free), is now available from Key resource module of our website under Publications. A more detailed analysis of the CPI is available in this publication.

The March 2011 Consumer Price Index will be released on April 19.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact the Dissemination Unit (toll-free 1-866-230-2248; 613-951-9606; fax: 613-951-2848; cpd-info-dpc@statcan.gc.ca), Consumer Prices Division.