Annual inflation rate in April rises to highest in nearly a decade

The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic are intruding into inflation calculations as Statistics Canada says the cost of living rose to its highest level in nearly a decade in April.

Economists blame a record increase in the price of gasoline last month, compared with last April when gas prices plunged due to the pandemic, saying the jump pushed Canada's inflation rate up to 3.4 per cent from its 2.2 per cent setting in March.

When compared with last April, gas prices soared 62.5 per cent, but number crunchers say if gas were removed from the equation, the national inflation rate would be 1.9 per cent.

BC also felt the turbulence as inflation provincewide jumped one full percentage point to three per cent from its two per cent setting last month while Victoria's rate more than doubled to 3.2 per cent compared with its March setting of 1.5 per cent.

Statistics Canada on Twitter:

Our latest article summarizes the impact of #COVID19 on consumer #inflation a year into the pandemic and highlights the important consumption factors that have shifted in the lives of Canadians. Check it out: http://ow.ly/CVYQ50EQpBZ