BC Price Index Rises

BC's all-items Consumer Price Index rose 2.8% during the 12-month period ending in June.

This was the second straight month in which the province's year-over-year inflation rate has been well above two percent. The upward movement in the price level was partly driven by energy prices, which remained high after soaring in May. Prices for other items rose 1.9 percent.

High fuel prices had a big effect on the transportation component of the CPI, which was up 5.9% in June. Consumers paid a whopping 26.4% more at the pump than they did in June of 2003, and public transportation costs, especially for intercity travel, were up 3.8%.

BC's inflation rate was among the highest in the country in June. Manitoba and Saskatchewan, both at 2.9%, were the only provinces to record larger increases. The Canadian inflation rate was 2.5%, with prices rising by at least 2.2% in every province.