Â鶹´«Ã½

Skip to main content

Inflation holds at 3.1% in November as progress in tamping down price growth stalls

Share
OTTAWA -

Canada's annual inflation rate was unchanged last month, holding steady at 3.1 per cent as progress on tamping down price growth stalled.

The November consumer price index report released Tuesday from Statistics Canada shows higher prices for recreation and clothing put upward pressure on inflation.

Forecasters were widely expecting to see inflation tick down last month.

However, the report still had some encouraging elements, including a slowdown in some core inflation measures, which strip out volatile components.

"Today's moderately disappointing result drives home the point that we still have an inflation fight on our hands--in case there was really any doubt," wrote BMO chief economist Douglas Porter in a client note.

"Still, the bigger picture remains intact: The underlying inflation trend is lower, the economy is chilly, and the Bank is expected to begin trimming rates around mid-year."

The report also spelled some good news when it comes to groceries as the pace of price increases eased for a fifth consecutive month.

Grocery prices were up 4.7 per cent from a year ago, marking a slowdown from 5.4 per cent in October.

Prices for services were unchanged last month as higher prices for travel tours were offset by lower prices for cellphone services.

Earlier this month, the Bank of Canada opted to hold its key interest rate steady at five per cent for the third consecutive time, largely because it has been encouraged by the slowdown in inflation and the economy this year.

But in a speech delivered by governor Tiff Macklem last week, he acknowledged there may be bumps along the way to returning inflation to the central bank's two per cent target.

Inflation in Canada has been steadily declining since mid-2022, but not without some hiccups, including an uptick in inflation during the summer.

The central bank has not ruled out the possibility of another rate hike, if it finds it necessary. But most forecasters anticipate its next move will be to cut interest rates sometime next year.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2023.

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

A six-year-old boy from northeastern Manitoba who had been missing since last Wednesday has been found dead.

A new charter challenge set to get underway on Monday will test the constitutionality of a controversial Ontario law that allows hospitals to place discharged patients into long-term care homes not of their choosing or face a $400-per-day charge if they refuse.

opinion

opinion How to create a budget that works for you

Are you struggling to create a budget that fits your life and schedule? Personal finance contributor Christopher Liew shares some simple budgeting methods and offer some tips to help you create, and follow, a budget plan.

Local Spotlight

A sea lion swam free after a rescue team disentangled it near Vancouver Island earlier this week.

A Nova Scotian YouTuber has launched a mini-truck bookmobile.

Cole Haas is more than just an avid fan of the F.W. Johnson Wildcats football team. He's a fixture on the sidelines, a source of encouragement, and a beloved member of the team.

Getting a photograph of a rainbow? Common. Getting a photo of a lightning strike? Rare. Getting a photo of both at the same time? Extremely rare, but it happened to a Manitoba photographer this week.

An anonymous business owner paid off the mortgage for a New Brunswick not-for-profit.

They say a dog is a man’s best friend. In the case of Darren Cropper, from Bonfield, Ont., his three-year-old Siberian husky and golden retriever mix named Bear literally saved his life.

A growing group of brides and wedding photographers from across the province say they have been taken for tens of thousands of dollars by a Barrie, Ont. wedding photographer.

Paleontologists from the Royal B.C. Museum have uncovered "a trove of extraordinary fossils" high in the mountains of northern B.C., the museum announced Thursday.

The search for a missing ancient 28-year-old chocolate donkey ended with a tragic discovery Wednesday.

Stay Connected