麻豆影视

Skip to main content

Canada's inflation nears 40-year high as gas prices soar

Share
OTTAWA -

Soaring gas prices helped the annual inflation rate in May soar to its highest level in nearly 40 years, as the rising cost of living for Canadians squeezed household budgets and bolstered expectations the Bank of Canada will opt for a supersized interest rate hike next month.

said Wednesday its consumer price index in May rose 7.7 per cent compared with a year ago, the fastest pace since January 1983 when it gained 8.2 per cent. That's up almost a percentage point from April's 6.8 per cent gain.

TD Bank managing director Leslie Preston said a generation of Canadians is experiencing high inflation for the first time.

鈥淚f you aren't over 40, you have never lived through inflation like this, and unfortunately, we are not expecting much of a reprieve going forward,鈥 Preston wrote in a report.

The May reading came as energy prices rose 34.8 per cent compared with a year ago with gasoline prices up 48.0 per cent compared with a year ago. Excluding gasoline, the annual inflation rate in May rose to 6.3 per cent compared with 5.8 per cent in April.

The Bank of Canada has raised its key interest rate target three times so far this year to bring it to 1.5 per cent in an effort to bring inflation under control.

It has also said it is prepared to 鈥渁ct more forcefully鈥 if needed, leading to speculation by economists that it could raise rates by three-quarters of a percentage point next month, matching a move by the U.S. Federal Reserve last week.

Desjardins chief economist Jimmy Jean said more than three quarters of the components of inflation were up more than three per cent, the top end of the Bank of Canada's target range.

鈥淲e have a record low unemployment rate, rising wages, so an economy that is really above its current capacity and that's really in the in the backyard of central bankers,鈥 Jean said.

鈥淵ou could argue that there's nothing we can do about supply chains and the pandemic and you know all those supply shocks that have happened, but when it comes to domestic demand and there being too much demand for the level of supply that there is, that's really their responsibility.鈥

The average of the three core measures of inflation that are closely watched by the Bank of Canada rose to 4.73 per cent in May compared with 4.43 per cent in April.

Bank of Canada senior deputy governor Carolyn Rogers said Wednesday that inflation is hurting Canadians and making things unaffordable.

鈥淲e know inflation is keeping Canadians up at night, it's keeping us up at night, and we will not rest easy until we get it back to target,鈥 Rogers said at an event in Toronto.

鈥淲e've been clear all along, the economy's in excess demand, inflation's too high, rates need to go up.鈥

In May, Statistics Canada said the price for food bought at stores rose 9.7 per cent compared with a year ago, matching the April increase, as the cost of nearly everything in the grocery cart went higher.

The cost of edible fats and oils gained 30.0 per cent compared with a year ago, its largest increase on record, mainly driven by higher prices for cooking oils. Fresh vegetable prices rose 10.3 per cent.

The cost of services in May also rose 5.2 per cent compared with a year ago, up from a gain of 4.6 per cent in April, as Canadians travelled and ate in restaurants more often.

Prices for traveller accommodation gained 40.2 per cent compared with a year ago, while the price of food purchased from restaurants gained 6.8 per cent.

Royal Bank assistant chief economist Nathan Janzen said while a lot of the growth is coming from higher prices for energy and food, the cost pressures are broadening across a wider array of goods and services.

He said the risk when price pressures creep across a broader set of goods and services is that consumer and business price expectations become unanchored,

鈥淲hen that happens, that's an environment where it's much more difficult for central banks to get inflation back under control,鈥 he said.

- With files from Ian Bickis in Toronto.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 22, 2022

CTVNews.ca Top Stories

Why brain aging can vary dramatically between people

Researchers are uncovering deeper insights into how the human brain ages and what factors may be tied to healthier cognitive aging, including exercising, avoiding tobacco, speaking a second language or even playing a musical instrument.

The union representing some 1,200 dockworkers at the Port of Montreal has overwhelmingly rejected a deal with their employers association.

A man who was critically injured in a police-involved shooting in Hamilton late Sunday afternoon has died in hospital, says the province鈥檚 police watchdog.

opinion

opinion How to transition from renting to owning a home in Canada

In his column for CTVNews.ca, personal finance contributor Christopher Liew offers a step-by-step guide on how to make the shift from renting to becoming a homeowner, and what you can start doing today to help the process go smoother.

Local Spotlight

For the second year in a row, the 鈥楪ift-a-Family鈥 campaign is hoping to make the holidays happier for children and families in need throughout Barrie.

Some of the most prolific photographers behind CTV Skywatch Pics of the Day use the medium for fun, therapy, and connection.

A young family from Codroy Valley, N.L., is happy to be on land and resting with their newborn daughter, Miley, after an overwhelming, yet exciting experience at sea.

As Connor Nijsse prepared to remove some old drywall during his garage renovation, he feared the worst.

A group of women in Chester, N.S., has been busy on the weekends making quilts 鈥 not for themselves, but for those in need.

A Vancouver artist whose streetside singing led to a chance encounter with one of the world's biggest musicians is encouraging aspiring performers to try their hand at busking.

Ten-thousand hand-knit poppies were taken from the Sanctuary Arts Centre and displayed on the fence surrounding the Dartmouth Cenotaph on Monday.

A Vancouver man is saying goodbye to his nine-to-five and embarking on a road trip from the Canadian Arctic to Antarctica.

Stay Connected