Canadian Inflation Rate Takes a Dive

The national inflation rate dipped to just 2.3 per cent in December – meaning cheaper groceries and gas for Canadians. British Columbians may have noticed steadily falling prices at the pump in the last few months. Now the national inflation rate has dipped as well. Santa seems to have brought us lower-than-expected food and gas prices in December, according to Statistics Canada.

Gas prices | BCBusiness
Filling up at the pump was a little less painful in December as the national inflation rate saw a 0.6 per cent drop.

The national inflation rate dipped to just 2.3 per cent in December – meaning cheaper groceries and gas for Canadians.

British Columbians may have noticed steadily falling prices at the pump in the last few months. Now the national inflation rate has dipped as well.

Santa seems to have brought us lower-than-expected food and gas prices in December, according to Statistics Canada.

Gas prices saw the deepest decline, dropping three per cent in a single month.

Shoppers will also notice a slight price drop in grocery stores, as food prices fell from 4.8 per cent in November to just 4.4 per cent in December.

Overall, the inflation rate saw a whopping 0.6 per cent decrease in December. Analysts only projected a 0.4 per cent drop.

According to Statistics Canada, Vancouver currently has one of the lowest inflation rates among major cities in Canada. Our inflation rate kept pace with the nationwide 0.6-per-cent drop, falling from 2.1 per cent in November to just 1.5 per cent in December.

StatsCan says the single-month decline is the largest drop since the summer of 2009.