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Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

Manitoba still has third-highest inflation rate in Canada

By: by Murray McNeill

Posted: 12/21/2012 10:19 AM | Comments: 0

It cost little less to live in Manitoba last month, according to new inflation numbers released today by Statistics Canada.

The government agency said consumer prices in Manitoba rose 1.3 per cent in the 12-month period between November of last year and November of this year. That’s down from a 12-month gain of 1.7 per cent in October.

Some of the consumer goods and services that saw the biggest price declines during the November-to-November period were natural gas (down 13.8 per cent), children’s clothing (-9.9), prescribed medicines (-7.9) and home entertainment equipment, parts and services (-7.4).

That was partially offset by higher prices for things like homeowners’ home and mortgage insurance (up 11.9 per cent), furniture (+11.8) and homeowners’ maintenance and repairs (+11.0).

However, despite the improvement, Manitoba still had the third-highest provincial annual inflation rate in November after Prince Edward Island and Quebec, both at 1.5 per cent.

And despite a national inflation rate that was the lowest in three years, Winnipeg had one of the highest annual inflation rates among major Canadian cities in November, Statistics Canada says.

Only Quebec City, Montreal and Charlottetown-Summerside had a higher rate of inflation than Winnipeg’s 1.5 per cent, although the agency cautions these rates are based on relatively small sample sizes and therefore subject to fluctuation.

Winnipeg’s inflation rate is down from the 1.6 per cent it registered in October.

Canada’s annual inflation, meanwhile, rate fell to 0.8 per cent from 1.2 per cent in October. Statistics Canada said it was the smallest year-over-year gain since October 2009.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca

-- with files from Brian Platt

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