Consumer Price Index, June 2012

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Consumer prices rose 1.5% in the 12 months to June, following a 1.2% gain in May. The increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) was led by higher prices for the purchase of passenger vehicles and, to a lesser extent, for electricity.

Prices for the purchase of passenger vehicles increased 3.9% year over year in June, after rising 1.7% the previous month. The June increase was the result of less discounting by manufacturers compared with June 2011.

The cost of electricity rose 5.9% year over year in June, mostly as a result of increases in Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia.

Despite the increase in electricity prices, the energy index declined 0.8% in the 12 months to June, following a 1.6% decrease in May. Gasoline prices fell 1.8% after declining 2.3% in May. Prices for natural gas also declined in the 12 months to June, although at a slower rate than in the previous month.

Chart 1 
The 12-month change in the energy index
Chart 1: The 12-month change in the energy index

Chart description: The 12-month change in the energy index

CSV version of the chart

Excluding energy, the CPI increased 1.7% in the 12 months to June. While this matched the year-over-year change recorded in May, the CPI excluding energy continued to increase at a faster rate than the All-items CPI.

Chart 2 
The 12-month change in the CPI and the CPI excluding energy
Chart 2: The 12-month change in the CPI and the CPI excluding energy

Chart description: The 12-month change in the CPI and the CPI excluding energy

CSV version of the chart

12-month change in the major components

The 1.5% increase in the June CPI was led by year-over-year price gains for shelter and transportation. Prices rose at a faster rate in five of the eight major components in June compared with May.

Chart 3 
Shelter and transportation lead increase in June Consumer Price Index
Chart 3: Shelter and transportation lead increase in June Consumer Price Index

Chart description: Shelter and transportation lead increase in June Consumer Price Index

CSV version of the chart

Shelter costs advanced 1.3% in the 12 months to June. In addition to price increases for electricity, homeowners' replacement cost rose 2.1% and rent went up 1.3%. Conversely, natural gas prices and mortgage interest cost declined year over year in June.

Prices for transportation increased 1.7% year over year in June after rising 0.8% in May. In addition to higher costs for the purchase of passenger vehicles, drivers paid more in passenger vehicle insurance premiums. In contrast, prices for gasoline decreased in the 12 months to June.

The cost of food rose 2.0% between June 2011 and June 2012, following a 2.5% increase in May. The year-over-year price change for food purchased from stores slowed to 1.8% in June from 2.5% in May. This was led by slower price increases for meat. Prices for food purchased from restaurants continued to increase.

12-month change in the provinces

Consumer prices rose in every province in the 12 months to June. Price increases for the purchase of passenger vehicles were a factor in all provinces.

Chart 4 
Ontario records smallest increase
Chart 4: Ontario records smallest increase

Chart description: Ontario records smallest increase

CSV version of the chart

The Ontario CPI (+1.2%) increased the least of all provinces in the 12 months to June. Prices for food purchased from stores rose 1.0%, the smallest year-over-year gain among the provinces. This was largely the result of slower price increases for meat. At the same time, Ontario consumers paid 5.0% less for gasoline, the largest year-over-year decline recorded in all provinces.

Prices in Alberta rose 1.3% in the 12 months to June, following a 0.4% increase in the previous month. This faster rate of growth was led by gasoline prices, which advanced 0.5% year over year in June, after declining 6.6% in May. Smaller price declines for natural gas were also a factor.

Seasonally adjusted monthly Consumer Price Index decreases

On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, the CPI declined 0.2% in June, after decreasing 0.3% the previous month. These monthly declines have brought the seasonally adjusted index to a level just below what it was in January.

Chart 5 
The seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index decreases
Chart 5: The seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index decreases

Chart description: The seasonally adjusted Consumer Price Index decreases

CSV version of the chart

The seasonally adjusted index for transportation fell 1.2% in June, following a 1.8% decline in May. The food index declined 0.2% after rising 0.4% the previous month.

The index for alcoholic beverages and tobacco products also decreased in June, while the clothing and footwear index was unchanged. The indexes for all other major components increased on a seasonally adjusted basis in June.

Bank of Canada's core index

The Bank of Canada's core index rose 2.0% in the 12 months to June, following a 1.8% gain in May. Price increases for the purchase of passenger vehicles and electricity were main contributors to the year-over-year increase in the core index.

On a monthly basis, the seasonally adjusted core index rose 0.1% in June, after declining 0.1% in May.

Note to readers

The special aggregate "Energy" includes: electricity; natural gas; fuel oil and other fuels; gasoline; and fuel, parts and supplies for recreational vehicles.

The Bank of Canada's core index excludes eight of the Consumer Price Index's most volatile components (fruit, fruit preparations and nuts; vegetables and vegetable preparations; mortgage interest cost; natural gas; fuel oil and other fuels; gasoline; inter-city transportation; and tobacco products and smokers' supplies) as well as the effects of changes in indirect taxes on the remaining components.

A seasonally adjusted series is one from which seasonal movements have been eliminated. Users employing Consumer Price Index data for indexation purposes are advised to use the unadjusted indexes.

Available without charge in CANSIM: tables CANSIM table326-0009, CANSIM table326-0012, CANSIM table326-0015 and CANSIM table326-0020 to 326-0022.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number survey number2301.

For a more detailed analysis, consult the publication The Consumer Price Index. The June 2012 issue of The Consumer Price Index, Vol. 91, no. 6 (Catalogue number62-001-X, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

More information about the concepts and use of the Consumer Price Index are also available online in Your Guide to the Consumer Price Index (Catalogue number62-557-X, free) from the Key resource module of our website under Publications.

The Consumer Price Index for July will be released on August 17.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Statistics Canada's National Contact Centre (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 613-951-8116; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or the Media Hotline (613-951-4636; statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@canada.ca).