| National Index Highlights |
Twelve-month percentage change in the CPI: +2.6%
Twelve-month percentage change in the CPI excluding energy: +2.6%
Consumers paid 2.6% more in September for the goods and services in the Consumer Price Index (CPI) basket than they did in September 2000. This follows an increase of 2.8% between August 2000 and August 2001.
Just under thirty percent of the 12-month change in the CPI came from higher food prices. While price increases were widespread among the food components, over forty percent of the total rise in the food index can be attributed to restaurant meals and beef. Restaurant meal prices rose by 3.6%, with table-service restaurants being the leading contributor. After three consecutive monthly decreases in beef prices the index resumed it’s upward trend rising by 1.1%. Strong and steady demand is the main factor behind the most recent rise that brought the 12-month increase in the beef index to 13.6%.
Excluding the impact of energy prices, the CPI rose by 2.6% for the twelve months ending in September, matching August’s 12-month increase. Since the beginning of the year, the increases in the All-items excluding energy index have ranged between 2.3% and 2.8%, the highest rates since 1995. In September, the energy index was up 3.2% from September 2000, following a 4.8% increase in August. With the exception of the 2.8% increase registered in July 2001, September’s 12-month increase is the lowest in over two years. Lower prices for gasoline and fuel oil counterbalanced in large part the impact of jumps in natural gas and electricity prices.
For commodities other than energy and food, the upward pressure on the All-items CPI in September came in part from higher cigarette prices, rent, homeowners’ replacement cost and automotive vehicle prices. In contrast, lower prices for traveller accommodation and computer equipment and supplies exerted some downward pressure on the CPI.
Monthly percentage change in the CPI: +0.3%
After remaining unchanged from July to August, the CPI rose by 0.3% from August to September. Rising gasoline prices were the main factor behind that monthly increase. Women’s clothing and tuition fees also put upward pressure on the All-items CPI though to a much lesser extent. Price decreases for fresh vegetables, traveller accommodation, and natural gas dampened this increase.
Gasoline prices rose on average by 7.6% from August to September, following a 1.4% increase from July to August. Price increases were widespread across all provinces and territories with the exception of Prince Edward Island (-4.8%). Increases ranged from 2.2% in New Brunswick to 18.9% in Alberta. Gasoline prices however, remain 2.4% below their September 2000 levels.
The index for women’s clothing rose by 2.5%, due in large part to higher prices for new fall clothing items.
Students paid an average of 3.4% more in tuition fees this year, the second smallest increase since 1978 and only slightly higher than the 3.2% registered in September 2000. The current index level however is more than double the level of 10 years ago. Increases in tuition fees have been slowing down over the past two years mainly as a result of additional government funding and frozen tuition fees in some provinces. Average tuition fee increases ranged from 0.1% for residents of British Columbia to a high of 11.9% for those of Saskatchewan. Tuition fees dropped 5.6% for residents of Newfoundland and 0.2% for those of Manitoba. Note that the tuition fee index for a province takes into account the fact that some residents of that province are studying in institutions outside of the province.
In September, prices for fresh vegetables fell on average by 10.5%, while those of fresh fruit were down 4.1%. These decreases were due mostly to the continued availability of locally produced crops.
With the end of the peak summer tourism season, prices for traveller accommodation decreased by 5.4%.
Natural gas prices fell by a further 3.6% from August to September, the third consecutive monthly price decrease. The decreases were posted in Ontario and Québec, primarily reflecting lower delivery costs and reduced demand. Prices in the other provinces remained stable.
The seasonally adjusted CPI increased by 0.1% between August 2001 and September 2001
After removing seasonal influences, the All-items CPI rose by 0.1% between August and September 2001. The contributors to the rise in September’s seasonally adjusted index were increases in the indexes for Transportation (+0.8%), Household operations and furnishings (+0.3%), Alcoholic beverages and tobacco products (+0.3%), Health and personal care (+0.2%), Food (+0.1%) and Clothing (+0.1%). Partly offsetting these increases were declines in the seasonally adjusted indexes for Shelter (-0.2%) and Recreation, education and reading (-0.1%).
Special Aggregates
Energy
The Energy index rose by 3.2% between September 2000 and September 2001. Natural gas prices continue to be the largest source of upward pressure on the Energy index. While they have decreased for the last three months, they still remain 29.0% higher than in September 2000. Fuel oil prices have registered their first 12-month decrease (-8.1%) since July 1999.
After edging up by 0.2% between July and August, the Energy index increased by 2.7% between August and September 2001. The biggest impact came from the 7.6% increase in gasoline prices. This increase was somewhat offset by a 3.6% drop in natural gas prices and a 3.2% drop in fuel oil prices.
Goods and Services
Prices for the goods sector advanced by 2.7% between September 2000 and September 2001, slightly below the 3.0% registered in August. The non-durables category (+4.2%) was at the forefront of this increase, boosted by natural gas and cigarette prices. These increases were somewhat offset by weaker gasoline and fuel oil prices. The increase for semi-durable goods was more modest (+0.6%), most of it coming from higher prices for men’s clothing. The durable goods category edged up by 0.4%, as higher prices for automotive vehicles were largely offset by declining prices for computer equipment and supplies.
The cost of services grew by 2.6%, reflecting widespread increases. The most important ones being the ones posted for food purchased from restaurants and rent.
The Goods index rose by 0.4% between August and September. The non-durable sector was the largest contributor to the increase (+0.4%), while prices for durable goods edged up by 0.2% and semi-durable goods prices by 1.2%. Non-durable goods prices moved up on the strength of gasoline, with lower fresh vegetables partially offsetting these advances. The durable goods index advanced largely due to higher prices for furniture. These effects were dampened by lower prices for computer equipment and supplies. The price increases in the semi-durable goods category were widespread but especially strong among women’s clothing categories.
The Services index remained unchanged between August 2001 and September 2001. Mostly, higher tuition fees and rent were offset by lower traveller accommodation prices.
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