Chip Somodevilla
Canadians are again starting to pay more for most things they consume as the inflation rate jumped to 1 per cent in November, the second straight month prices have risen sharply.
While higher gasoline prices were mostly to blame, Statistics Canada said the advance was broad-based. Prices rose in seven of eight major components tracked by the agency, and in all 10 provinces.
As well, the month-to-month index was higher with prices rising 0.5 per cent from October.
The last two months have seen a complete reversal in the inflation story in Canada, which previously was one of falling prices and negative inflation.
But a rapid decline in gas prices from record highs in July, 2008, has reversed the trend, the agency said.
"Prices at the pump are now exerting upward pressure on the consumer price index after an extended period in which they were the main contributors to year-over-year declines in overall consumer prices," the agency explained.
In November, gas prices were 14.1 per cent higher than at the same time last year and 13.1 per cent lower in October from the previous year.
Other components pushing prices higher were food, transportation, household operations, and furniture and equipment.
In addition, consumers paid 7.8 per cent more for car insurance and 3.2 per cent more for health and personal care.
Meanwhile, the cost of passenger vehicles fell six per cent, and shelter costs declined 1.7 per cent as natural gas prices were almost 30 per cent lower this year than last. The mortgage interest costs were also well below last year by 4 per cent.
Over all, the trend of inflation is unlikely to worry the Bank of Canada as most price increases remain tame. Food, which had been a major driver of price increases, gained only 1.7 per cent in November, the smallest increase since April, 2008.
Core inflation, which the central bank closely tracks because it represents underlying inflation pressures, was actually lower in November at 1.5 per cent, compared to 1.8 per cent in October. That is still well below the central bank's 2-per-cent target.
Regionally, the largest increases in annual inflation occurred in New Brunswick, with a 2.2-per-cent rise. The rate rose 1.9 per cent in Prince Edward Island, and by 1.7 per cent in both Nova Scotia and Quebec.