The cost of living increased by 2% in December, rising from 1.7% in November.
Statistics Canada reported that the year-over-year rise in the Consumer Price Index was 3.5% with shelter costs up 2.2% in this period (although unchanged from November), the largest increase.
The annual increase saw alcoholic beverages and tobacco products rise the most (4.4%) followed by food (2.9%) while gasoline prices saw the only decrease, falling 8.6%.
Natural gas products also declined year-over-year (-4.1%) while air transportation (21.7%) and telephone services (6.1%) cost households more.
Consumers also saw a rise in car insurance premiums of more than 5%.
Among the provinces, British Columbia (+3.0%) posted the largest year-over-year increase in the CPI in December as a temporary pipeline closure pushed gasoline prices up 1.7%.
Prices were up more year-over-year in seven provinces in December compared to November.
The Consumer Price Index (#CPI) rose 2.0% on a year-over-year basis in December 2018, following a 1.7% increase in November. https://t.co/D7472CMCBQ pic.twitter.com/K2V86zqqti
— Statistics Canada (@StatCan_eng) 18 January 2019