April Consumer Price Index up by 2.8%, higher gas prices to blame: StatCan

April’s consumer inflation was up 2.8 per cent compared to last year with higher gas prices being the main cause, according to Statistics Canada.

The latest Consumer Price Index (CPI) was up 0.4 per cent compared to the March report of 2.4 per cent for year-over-year inflation.

According to Statistics Canada, “the removal of the consumer carbon levy in April 2025, which resulted in monthly declines for gasoline and natural gas, has now fallen out of the 12-month movement, putting upward pressure on the all-items CPI.”

In addition to the accelerating base-year effect, prices were pushed higher by supply uncertainty — caused by the conflict in the Middle East and the subsequent closure of the Strait of Hormuz — as well as by the switch to the more expensive summer blend of gasoline.

British Columbia was the only province where price growth did not accelerate year over year, increasing 2.5% in April, the same rate as in March.

At the national level, prices for rent rose at a slower pace year over year in April (+3.6%) compared with March (+4.2%). Despite the slowdown, rent prices have increased 30.8% from April 2021 to April 2026.

READ MORE: U.S. hits Canadian mushroom growers with tariffs following industry investigation