Gas prices push Canada’s annual inflation rate to 3.1% in September: StatCan

Statistics Canada says the war in the Middle East drove up gasoline prices, pushing Canada’s annual inflation rate to 3.1 per cent in September.

StatCan says gasoline prices spiked 27.8 per cent last month compared to a year before despite the switch to the less expensive winter gas blend.

The agency says in September, consumer prices increased 2.2 per cent year-over-year excluding gasoline.

Meanwhile, fuel oil and other fuels went up 57.8 per cent last month, hitting consumers hard in Atlantic Canada where many homes are heated with oil.

StatCan says in September grocery prices faced the smallest yearly increase since May 2024.

The agency says grocery prices faced an increase of 1.7 per cent. Despite the year-over-year slowdown, grocery prices have increased 33 per cent since September 2020.

With Files From The Canadian Press

READ MORE: Canada’s annual rate of inflation holds at 3% in August: StatCan