Briefing notes

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12-Month Change:

  1. Led by increases in energy and food, consumer prices rose 2.6% in the 12 months to February after increasing 2.5% in January.
  2. On a year-over-year basis, prices rose in seven of the eight major components in February. Transportation and food continued to post the largest increases, while the recreation, education and reading index declined.
  3. Consumer prices rose in every province in the 12 months to February. Quebec, Ontario and the Atlantic provinces recorded the highest year-over-year gains.

Month-to-Month Change:

  1. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, consumer prices increased 0.1% from January to February after increasing 0.5% from December to January. Prices increased in all major components except shelter.
  2. On a monthly basis and before seasonal adjustment, consumer prices went up 0.4% in February, after increasing the same amount in January.

Bank of Canada's Core Index:

  1. The Bank of Canada's core index rose 2.3% in the 12 months to February, after increasing 2.1% in January.

Main contributors to the 12-month change in the CPI:

Main upward contributors:

  1. Gasoline (+8.9%)
  2. Electricity (+8.7%)
  3. Meat (+7.1%)
  4. Food purchased from restaurants (+2.8%)
  5. Passenger vehicle insurance premiums (+3.9%)

Main downward contributors:

  1. Furniture (-4.9%)
  2. Natural Gas (-4.9%)
  3. Travel Tours (-5.3%)
  4. Video equipment (-11.4%)

Main contributors to the monthly change in the CPI, not seasonally adjusted:

Main upward contributors:

  1. Gasoline (+2.6%)
  2. Women's clothing (+4.3%)
  3. Travel tours (+7.2%)
  4. Traveller accommodation (+5.0%)
  5. Telephone services (+1.8%)

Main downward contributors:

  1. Purchase of passenger vehicles (-1.2%)
  2. Fresh fruit (-3.9%)
  3. Natural gas (-2.7%)
  4. Electricity (-1.0%)
Twelve-month and monthly percentage change in the most quoted indexes, not seasonally adjusted