Consumer Price Index, September 2025
Released: 2025-10-21
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.4% on a year-over-year basis in September, up from a 1.9% increase in August.
On a year-over-year basis, gasoline prices fell less in September (-4.1%) compared with August (-12.7%) due to a base-year effect, leading to an acceleration in headline inflation. Excluding gasoline, the CPI rose 2.6% in September, after increasing 2.4% in August.
A slower year-over-year decline in prices for travel tours (-1.3%) and a larger increase in prices for food purchased from stores (+4.0%) also contributed to the upward pressure in the all-items CPI in September.
The CPI rose 0.1% month over month in September. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, the CPI was up 0.4%.
Chart 1
The 12-month change in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and CPI excluding gasoline
Chart 2
Price growth accelerates in five major components
Smaller year-over-year decline in gasoline prices
Prices for gasoline fell 4.1% year over year in September after a 12.7% decrease in August. The smaller year-over-year decline was largely due to a base-year effect. In September 2024, prices fell 7.1% month over month due, in part, to lower crude oil prices amid growing concerns of weaker economic growth, particularly in China and the United States. In September 2025, gasoline prices rose 1.9% on a monthly basis following refinery disruptions and maintenance in the United States and Canada, which put upward pressure on prices.
Infographic 1
Smaller year-over-year decline in gasoline prices in September than in August
September increase leads to smaller year-over-year decline in travel tour prices
On a year-over-year basis, prices for travel tours fell 1.3% in September following a 9.3% decline in August. Despite typically declining on a month-over-month basis in September, travel tour prices rose 4.6% in the month. This was a result of higher prices for destinations in Europe and some parts of the United States, as major events in destination cities put upward pressure on hotel prices.
Grocery prices rise at a faster pace compared with last year
Consumers paid 4.0% more year over year for food purchased from stores in September, following a 3.5% increase in August. Faster price growth was driven by increased prices for fresh vegetables (+1.9% in September, compared with -2.0% in August) and sugar and confectionery (+9.2% in September, compared with +5.8% in August).
Year-over-year grocery price inflation has generally trended upward since its most recent low in April 2024 (+1.4%). Grocery items contributing to the general acceleration included fresh or frozen beef and coffee, both due, in part, to lower supply.
Chart 3
September 2025 marks the largest year-over-year increase in grocery prices since the most recent low in April 2024
Clothing prices decelerate year over year
Following a year-over-year increase of 1.7% in August, the clothing and footwear index rose 0.8% in September. This slower growth helped moderate the acceleration in the all-items CPI. The downward pressure was driven by slower growth in clothing prices, partially offset by a smaller decline in footwear prices. On a month-over-month basis, clothing prices fell 0.3% in September. This was the first month-over-month decline in September since 1998.
Tuition fees rise at a similar pace in 2025 compared with 2024
Tuition fees, priced annually in September, increased 1.7% in 2025 compared with a 1.8% increase in 2024. Aside from 2019, the 2025 increase was the smallest since 1976, when the index was unchanged (0.0%).
In 2025, students from Prince Edward Island (+4.7%) experienced the largest price increase. At the same time, students from Nova Scotia (+1.1%) and Ontario (+1.1%) had the smallest increase, coinciding with a freeze on tuition fees in both provinces.
Focus on Canada and the United States
Tariffs affect many facets of the economy, including inflation. The imposition of tariffs by the United States and countermeasure tariffs by the Canadian government can result in varying effects on final consumer prices. Read more about the potential impacts of US tariffs on the Bank of Canada's website.
No special adjustments to the Consumer Price Index will be required for tariffs, as their effect is embedded in the final prices collected.
Statistics Canada will continue to monitor developments on tariffs and the impact on consumer price inflation.
For more data and insights on areas touched by the socio-economic relationship between Canada and the United States, see the Focus on Canada and the United States webpage.
Explore the Consumer Price Index tools
Check out the Personal Inflation Calculator. This interactive calculator allows you to enter dollar amounts in the common expense categories to produce a personalized inflation rate, which you can compare with the official measure of inflation for the average Canadian household—the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
Browse the Consumer Price Index Data Visualization Tool to access current (Latest Snapshot of the CPI) and historical (Price trends: 1914 to today) CPI data in a customizable visual format.
Regional highlights
On a yearly basis, prices rose at a faster pace in all provinces in September compared with August.
Chart 4
The Consumer Price Index rises at a faster pace in all provinces in September
Rent prices rise at a faster pace nationally despite mixed provincial pressures
At the national level, rent prices rose 4.8% year over year in September after a 4.5% increase in August. The faster price growth was largely driven by higher prices in Quebec (+9.6%), notably in Montréal. Slower rent price growth in British Columbia (+1.8%) moderated the acceleration at the national level.
Prince Edward Island (-2.2%) was the only province with a year-over-year decline in rent in September.
Chart 5
Year-over-year change in rent prices among provinces
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Note to readers
Visit the Consumer Price Index portal to find all Consumer Price Index (CPI) data, publications, interactive tools and announcements highlighting new products and upcoming changes to the CPI in one convenient location.
Real-time data tables
Real-time data table 18-10-0259-01 will be updated on November 3. For more information, consult the document, "Real-time data tables."
Next release
The CPI for October will be released on Monday, November 17.
From that date forward, the CPI will be released on Mondays, providing more timely access for users of this economic indicator.
Products
The "Consumer Price Index Data Visualization Tool" is available on the Statistics Canada website.
More information on the concepts and use of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) is available in The Canadian Consumer Price Index Reference Paper (62-553-X).
For information on the history of the CPI in Canada, consult the publication Exploring the first century of Canada's Consumer Price Index (62-604-X).
Two videos, "An Overview of Canada's Consumer Price Index (CPI)" and "The Consumer Price Index (CPI) and Your Experience of Price Change," are available on Statistics Canada's YouTube channel.
The podcast ''Eh Sayers Episode 18 - Why Food Inflation Is Such A Hard Nut To Crack'' is also available.
Find out answers to the most common questions posed about the CPI in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond.
Contact information
For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact us (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).
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