Prices Analytical Series
Technical Supplement for the July 2020 Consumer Price Index

Release date: August 19, 2020
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Beginning in April 2020, the collection and compilation of the Consumer Price Index (CPI) have been impacted by measures designed to limit the spread of COVID-19, as in-person field collection was conducted remotely, and imputation strategies were required to address an increased number of temporary business closures and out-of-stock products. These strategies were implemented according to international guidelines, and following consultation with other national statistical organizations.

During the July 2020 reference month, the economy continued to reopen across Canada. Where outlets remained temporarily closed, items were out of stock at a higher rate than usual or products and services remained unavailable for consumption, the imputation treatments for the July CPI were the same as those used in April, May and June.Note 

Tables reflecting product and outlet availability (Table 1), imputation donors for unavailable products and services (Table 2) and CPI sub-components with an out-of-stock rate above 30% (Table 3) have been updated to reflect July data.


Table 1 Consumer Price Index product and outlet availability, field, scanner and web scraped data collection modes, July 2020 and July 2019
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1 Consumer Price Index product and outlet availability Basket weight at link month (%), Average rate of out of stock product offerings (%), Average rate of temporarily closed outlets (%), Average rate of prices received as scheduled (%) and July (appearing as column headers).
Basket weight at link month (%) Average rate of out of stock product offerings (%) Average rate of temporarily closed outlets (%) Average rate of prices received as scheduled (%)
July
2020 2019 2020 2019 2020 2019
Total 100.00 10.5 4.8 1.5 0.1 88.0 95.0
Food and non-alcoholic beverages 16.48 8.9 1.7 0.3 0.0 90.7 98.3
Shelter 27.36 5.9 1.8 0.7 0.1 93.4 98.1
Household operations, furnishings and equipment 12.80 14.9 5.2 1.0 0.1 84.1 94.7
Clothing and footwear 5.17 11.6 18.5 4.5 0.2 83.8 81.3
Transportation 19.95 0.9 0.4 2.0 1.2 97.1 98.3
Health and personal care 4.79 19.4 3.0 1.7 0.1 78.8 96.9
Recreation, education and reading 10.24 12.1 7.7 6.8 0.3 81.1 92.0
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and recreational cannabis 3.21 7.8 3.1 3.3 0.3 88.9 96.6
Source: Consumer Prices program

Table 2 Imputation donors for select products and services unavailable, or partially unavailable for consumption in April, May, June and July 2020
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2 Imputation donors for select products and services unavailable. The information is grouped by Sub-component (appearing as row headers), Affected sub-component basket weight at link month (%), Imputation donor, Affected geography and Imputation Donor (appearing as column headers).
Sub-component Affected sub-component basket weight at link month (%) Imputation donor Affected geography Affected sub-component basket weight at link month (%) Imputation Donor Affected geography Affected sub-component basket weight at link month (%) Imputation Donor Affected geography Affected sub-component basket weight at link month (%) Imputation Donor Affected geography
April 2020 May 2020 June 2020 July 2020
Household operations, furnishings and equipment
Child care services 0.15 All-items All Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Housekeeping services 0.31 All-items All Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Transportation
Air transportation 0.35 Affected sub-components imputed from parent, air transportation All 0.35 Affected sub-components imputed from parent, air transportation All 0.35 Affected sub-components imputed from parent, air transportation All 0.35 Affected sub-components imputed from parent, air transportation All
Health and personal care
Personal care services 0.93 All-items All 0.61 All-items NL, NS, QC, ON, Whitehorse, Iqaluit 0.13 All-items Select geographic strata within ON, Iqaluit Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Recreation
Recreational services 0.13 All-items All 0.13 All-items All 0.13 All-items All 0.13 All-items All
Travel tours 1.21 All-items All 1.21 All-items All 1.21 All-items All 1.21 All-items All
Spectator entertainment (excluding video and audio subscription services) 0.35 All-items All 0.35 All-items All 0.35 All-items All 0.27 All-items All
Use of recreational facilities and services 0.62 All-items All 0.45 All-items All 0.17 All-items NL, QC, ON, MB, SK Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Alcoholic beverages, tobacco products and recreational cannabis
Beer served in licensed establishments 0.34 Beer purchased from stores All 0.23 Beer purchased from stores NL, PE, NS, QC, ON, SK, Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Iqaluit 0.10 Beer purchased from stores Select geographic strata within QC and ON, Iqaluit Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Wine served in licensed establishments 0.13 Wine purchased from stores All 0.09 Wine purchased from stores NL, PE, NS, QC, ON, SK, Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Iqaluit 0.04 Wine purchased from stores Select geographic strata within QC and ON, Iqaluit Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Liquor served in licensed establishments 0.19 Liquor purchased from stores All 0.12 Liquor purchased from stores NL, PE, NS, QC, ON, SK, Whitehorse, Yellowknife, Iqaluit 0.06 Liquor purchased from stores Select geographic strata within QC and ON, Iqaluit Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable Note ...: not applicable
Source: Consumer Prices program.

Table 3 CPI sub-components with an out-of-stock rate above 30%, July 2020
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3 CPI sub-components with an out-of-stock rate above 30%. The information is grouped by Sub-component (appearing as row headers), Basket weight at link month (%) (appearing as column headers).
Sub-component Basket weight at link month (%)
Non-prescribed medicines 0.46
Other fresh or frozen poultry meat 0.11
Source: Consumer Prices program.


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© Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2020

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Catalogue no. 62F0014M

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