| National Index Highlights |
Twelve-month percentage change in the CPI: +1.3%
Twelve-month percentage change in the CPI excluding energy: +2.2%
In January 2002, consumers paid 1.3% more than they did in January 2001 for the
goods and services included in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket. This rise
in the index followed two consecutive 12-month increases of 0.7%. The All-Items
excluding energy index rose 2.2% compared to January 2001.
Higher prices for food and tobacco products were the main source of upward pressure
on the All-items CPI. Food prices rose 4.6% from January 2001 to January 2002,
driven mainly by the prices of restaurant meals, fresh vegetables, fresh fruits
and beef. The 23.6% increase in cigarette prices was largely the result of tax
hikes.
On the other hand, energy prices were the main source of downward pressure
on the All-items CPI in January. Energy prices fell 7.0% from January
2001 to January 2002, primarily owing to the prices of gasoline (-15.9%)
and fuel oil (-25.9%). The main cause of these price declines was the
price per barrel of oil, which hovered around $44 in January 2001 whereas
it was between $30 and $31 in January 2002.
Monthly percentage change in the CPI: +0.3%
After a slight advance (+0.1%) between November and December 2001,
the CPI rose 0.3% between December 2001 and January 2002. This rise
is primarily due to higher prices for fresh vegetables, higher automotive
vehicle insurance premiums, and higher gasoline and natural gas prices.
Electricity prices (+1.7%) also pushed up the All-items CPI, although
to a lesser extent. These increases were partially offset by lower prices
for travel tours, and clothing and footwear.
The fresh vegetables index advanced 14.2% in January as prices continued to be
driven up by the worst harvests seen in the United States since 1974. Whereas
in December 2001, the prices of fresh vegetables were lower than in December 2000,
prices in January 2002 were 16.4% higher than in January 2001.
Insurance premiums for automotive vehicles rose 3.1% between December 2001 and
January 2002, mostly under the influence of increases in British Columbia (+10.5%)
and Ontario (+3.0%).
In January, consumers paid 2.5% more for gasoline than in December 2001. This
was a change from the last three months when decreases between 4.1%
and 10.0% were recorded. Gasoline prices were up in almost all provinces,
except Prince Edward Island (-4.4%), Nova Scotia (-0.6%) and Whitehorse
(-2.2%).
The natural gas index was up 4.8% in January due to a 57.5% jump in
natural gas prices in Alberta. This increase reflects the return to
regular billing for a large proportion of Alberta customers, as the
average customer would have exhausted the one-time credit given in November
by the utility company.
Between December and January, the price of electricity increased 1.7%. This rise
is mainly due to an 18.2% jump in the Alberta index. The end of the $40 monthly
credit that the provincial government granted to Alberta customers in 2001 explains
this increase.
In January 2002, the index for travel tours decreased by 10.1%. Prices for travel
tours are collected each year for January, February and March, when they are the
most popular among Canadians. January's demand is the weakest of these three months.
Since January prices are compared directly with those of March of the previous
year, a price drop is usually measured in January. January 2002 was no exception
to this pattern.
The clothing and footwear index declined 1.4% in January 2002, when a number of
items were still on sale. The main factors contributing to the decrease were discounts
on women's footwear (-5.8%) and men's shirts and sweaters (-4.2%).
The seasonally adjusted CPI advanced 0.5% between December 2001 and January
2002
After adjusting for seasonal variations, the All-items CPI advanced by 0.5%
between December 2001 and January 2002. The indexes for transportation
(+1.4%), food (+0.8%), alcoholic beverages and tobacco products (+0.4%),
shelter (+0.4%), recreation, education and reading (+0.2%) and household
operations and furnishings (+0.1%) contributed to the monthly increase.
A decline in the seasonally adjusted indexes for clothing and footwear
(-1.3%) and health and personal care (-0.2%) tempered the rise in the
All-items index.
Special Aggregates
Energy
In January 2002, energy prices were again down from a year earlier,
by 7.0%. This decrease was largely due to lower prices for gasoline
(-15.9%) and fuel oil (-25.9%). On the other hand, electricity and natural
gas tempered the decrease. The sizable contribution of Alberta (+82.1%)
and Ontario (+8.9%) to the national electricity index is noteworthy.
The increase recorded in Alberta may be explained by the end of the
monthly credit granted to customers in 2001.
Even though energy prices remained below their level of a year ago,
they posted a gain of 2.3% between December 2001 and January 2002. This
increase was due to higher prices for gasoline (+2.5%), natural gas
(+4.8%) and electricity (+1.7%). The prices of fuel oil were down.
Goods and services
Prices in the goods sector advanced 0.4% from January 2001 to January
2002, after posting a 0.8% decline in December. January's increase was
due to an increase in the non-durable goods index (+1.7%), which was
driven by the prices of cigarettes, electricity, fresh vegetables, fresh
fruits, natural gas and beef. These increases were largely offset by
weaker prices for gasoline and fuel oil. The index for the semi-durable
goods category fell by 2.1%, mainly owing to lower prices for women's
clothing. The durable goods category also fell (-0.8%), largely the
result of lower prices for computer equipment and supplies and new automotive
vehicle purchases.
The cost of services climbed 2.3% between January 2001 and January 2002. The
price increases that had the greatest impact were those of restaurant meals
and rents. Declines in the prices of traveller accommodation and the cost of
mortgage interest somewhat offset these increases.
The goods index advanced 0.4% between December 2001 and January 2002.
The non-durable goods category (+1.2%) exerted all of the pressure on
this index. Durable goods prices fell by 0.5%, while prices for semi-durable
goods were also down (-1.4%). Most of the increase in the prices of
non-durable goods was attributable to higher prices for fresh vegetables
and gasoline, while the main factor pushing down the durable goods index
was the price of new automotive vehicles. Price declines were widespread
in the semi-durable goods category, with the greatest impact coming
from the clothing and footwear categories.
The services index advanced 0.2% between December 2001 and January 2002. Higher
premiums for automotive vehicle insurance and traveller accommodation prices
were partially offset by lower prices for air transportation.
[Main menu |
Highlights |
Tables and charts |
Technical notes |
User information |
Products and services |
Contact us |
Français]
All rights reserved Statistics Canada
