Canada's annual inflation rate held steady in June at 2.2 per cent.
The annual growth-rate was unchanged from April and May, said Statistics Canada.
Growth within the consumer price index can be attributed largely to the rising costs of owning a home and operating a vehicle, StatsCan reports. The average cost of home ownership rose 4.9 per cent, while the cost of driving a vehicle was up 2.8 per cent.
The overall growth was slightly slower than expected.
Economists had predicted an increase of 2.5 per cent in overall inflation, and 2.6 per cent within the core rate, which doesn't factor in the eight most volatile items in the index.
The core rate of inflation advanced slightly faster than the overall rate, but still fell just short of predictions, hitting 2.5 per cent.
"The surprise [is] coming mostly in clothing, suggesting that a strong Canadian dollar may be doing some work in restraining import prices," said Mark Chandler, fixed income strategist at Royal Bank of Canada in a note.
In May, the core interest rate -- which is used by the Bank of Canada to set interest rates -- was slightly lower at 2.2 per cent.
The Bank of Canada noted last week that inflation has risen faster than predicted, and total inflation will probably hit 3 per cent by year's end. The central bank is expected to hike interest rates in September.
The Wednesday report found that the prices of computers and supplies have continued to fall in Canada, taking some of the sting out of the rising inflation rates.
Here is the breakdown for the provinces and the territories. The previous month's rate is in brackets.
- Newfoundland and Labrador 1.4 (0.7)
- Prince Edward Island 1.6 (1.2)
- Nova Scotia 1.8 (1.7)
- New Brunswick 1.9 (1.4)
- Quebec 1.5 (1.6)
- Ontario 1.6 (1.9)
- Manitoba 2.2 (2.3)
- Saskatchewan 3.2 (2.7)
- Alberta 6.3 (5.0)
- British Columbia 1.5 (1.7)
- Whitehorse, Yukon 1.7 (1.9)
- Yellowknife, N.W.T. 3.6 (3.1)
- Iqaluit, Nunavut 2.8 (3.1)
With files from The Canadian Press
