A customer shops for groceries at a Walmart store in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, April 20, 2026. Canada's Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 2.4 percent year over year in March, up from an increase of 1.8 percent in February, Statistics Canada said on Monday. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)
OTTAWA, April 20 (Xinhua) -- Canada's Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 2.4 percent year over year in March, up from an increase of 1.8 percent in February, Statistics Canada said on Monday.
Driving faster price growth in headline inflation were higher prices for energy, especially gasoline, due to the conflict in the Middle East, said the national statistical agency.
According to the agency, excluding gasoline, the CPI rose at a slower pace year over year in March and there remained lingering base-year effects from the GST/HST break which ran from December 2024 to February 2025, resulting in downward pressure on headline inflation in March.
The CPI was up 0.9 percent month over month in March. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, the CPI increased 0.5 percent, said Statistics Canada. ■
A man fuels his car at a gas station in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, on April 20, 2026. Canada's Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 2.4 percent year over year in March, up from an increase of 1.8 percent in February, Statistics Canada said on Monday. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua)
A man prepares to fuel his vehicle at a gas station in Toronto, Canada, April 20, 2026. Canada's Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 2.4 percent year over year in March, up from an increase of 1.8 percent in February, Statistics Canada said on Monday. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
Customers shop for fruit at a Walmart store in Toronto, Canada, April 20, 2026. Canada's Consumer Price Index (CPI) increased 2.4 percent year over year in March, up from an increase of 1.8 percent in February, Statistics Canada said on Monday. (Photo by Zou Zheng/Xinhua)
