British Columbia saw the biggest dip in consumer prices in the 12 months to May 2013, according to Statistics Canada data released Friday.
B.C. and New Brunswick were the only two provinces who experienced a drop in consumer prices year-over-year to May, with consumer prices in the latter province declining by 0.1%.
Nationwide, the Consumer Price Index increased by 0.7% over the same period, following a 0.4% increase in April. The increase in prices in the 12 months leading to May was mostly due to higher costs for shelter.
The greatest year-over-year increase was in Alberta, where prices increased by 2.3% to May, this following a 1.3% increase in April.
Prices in B.C. increased by 0.6% from April to May, compared with a nationwide increase of 0.2%. The items with the largest price increases across Canada were:
- recreation, education and reading (1.2%);
- gasoline (1.1%); and
- alcoholic beverage and tobacco products (0.7%).
