Consumer Price Index

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Consumer prices rose 1.4% in the 12 months to March, following a 1.6% increase in February.

Gasoline prices exerted the most upward pressure on the all-items Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the fifth consecutive month. In March, prices at the pump were 17.2% higher than they were in March 2009. This follows a 15.3% rise in the 12 months to February.

Energy prices rose 5.8% between March 2009 and March 2010, following a 4.0% increase in the 12 months to February.

Excluding energy, the CPI rose 1.0% in the 12 months to March, compared with a 1.3% increase in February.

Prices for the purchase of passenger vehicles put upward pressure on the CPI for the third consecutive month in March. Prices for the purchase of passenger vehicles rose 3.9%, following a 3.5% increase in February.

Seasonally adjusted monthly CPI falls

On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, the CPI fell 0.1% in March, after remaining unchanged from January to February. March's decline was due primarily to a 2.0% decrease in the recreation, education and reading component. Lower prices for traveller accommodation largely accounted for the downward movement within this component.

The decline in the seasonally adjusted monthly CPI in March was the first decrease since July 2009.

12-month change: Six of the eight CPI components rise

Overall, six of the eight major components of the CPI recorded price increases in the 12 months to March. The exceptions were shelter, and clothing and footwear.

Transportation prices, which rose 6.0%, exerted the strongest upward pressure on the all-items CPI for the fifth consecutive month. In addition to higher gasoline and passenger vehicle prices, consumers paid 5.5% more for passenger vehicle insurance premiums in March than a year ago. The cost of inter-city transportation fell 9.6%.

Food prices advanced 1.3%, following a 1.2% increase in February. Upward pressure on the food index came mainly from prices for food purchased from restaurants (+2.6%). Price increases were also observed for sugar and confectionery and non-alcoholic beverages. Prices fell for fresh vegetables, meat, and fresh fruit.

Prices for household operations, furnishings and equipment increased 1.4% in the 12 months to March. Upward pressure in this component came mostly from prices for communications, other household goods and services, and child care and domestic services.

In the health and personal care component, prices rose 2.7% and increases were broad-based. Prices for health care services increased 4.5%, while prices for personal care supplies and equipment rose 3.1%.

Prices in the recreation, education and reading component increased 0.7% in the 12 months to March. Consumers paid more for tuition fees and cablevision and satellite services.

Shelter costs fell 0.7%, mainly the result of declines in mortgage interest cost and natural gas prices.

The mortgage interest cost index, which measures the change in the interest portion of payments on outstanding mortgage debt, fell 6.0% in March, following a 5.8% decrease in February.

Prices for clothing and footwear declined 2.2%. The strongest downward pressure in this component came from lower prices for women's clothing and women's footwear. Prices for children's and men's clothing also declined.

12-month change: Consumer prices increase in all provinces

Consumer prices increased in all provinces in the 12 months to March. The most significant upward pressure on prices in all provinces came from gasoline prices.

As was the case in January and February, the largest year-over-year increases occurred in the four Atlantic provinces. Higher prices in Atlantic Canada were partly attributable to larger upward movements in gasoline. Gasoline price increases in Atlantic Canada ranged from 20.3% in Newfoundland and Labrador to 23.8% in Nova Scotia. As well, prices for fuel oil and other fuels advanced 20.7% nationally in the 12 months to March, the largest increase since October 2008.

In Ontario, prices rose 1.4%. This was due primarily to higher prices for gasoline, passenger vehicle insurance premiums, and the purchase of passenger vehicles. Downward pressure came mainly from lower prices for natural gas.

Prices in British Columbia rose 0.5% in March compared with the same month in 2009, after a 1.2% increase in February. The increase was due mainly to the upward pressure from gasoline prices and property taxes. Prices for traveller accommodation returned closer to the January level, prior to the Winter Olympics. Prices for traveller accommodation increased 2.8% in the 12-months to March, following a 64.1% increase in February.

12-month change in the Bank of Canada's core index

The Bank of Canada's core index advanced 1.7% over the 12 months to March, following a 2.1% rise in February. March's increase was due primarily to a rise in prices for the purchase of passenger vehicles, passenger vehicle insurance premiums, property taxes, and food purchased from restaurants.

The seasonally adjusted monthly core index fell 0.3% in March, following a 0.4% increase in February.

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 March 2010 issue of The Consumer Price Index, Vol. 89, no. 3 (62-001-X, free), is now available from the Key resource module of our website under Publications. A paper copy is also available ($12/$111). A more detailed analysis of the CPI is available in this publication. See How to order products.

The April Consumer Price Index will be released on May 21.

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.