Business Economy · Historical report

Canada’s CPI Rose 2.8% in April as Higher Energy Prices Added Pressure

Statistics Canada reported that annual consumer-price growth accelerated in April 2026, with higher energy prices—particularly gasoline—driving the increase.

By Grant Sullivan · Source dated May 19, 2026 · Published July 22, 2026

Key takeaways

Canada’s Consumer Price Index increased 2.8% year over year in April 2026, compared with 2.4% in March.
Energy prices rose 19.2% from a year earlier, while gasoline prices increased 28.6%.
Excluding gasoline, the CPI rose 2.0% year over year, down from 2.2% in March.
Rent price growth slowed to 3.6% from 4.2% in March, while travel-tour prices fell 11.0% year over year.

Headline inflation accelerated in April

Canada’s Consumer Price Index rose 2.8% year over year in April 2026, accelerating from a 2.4% increase in March, Statistics Canada reported on May 19. The CPI increased 0.4% from March and rose 0.3% on a seasonally adjusted monthly basis.

Statistics Canada identified higher energy prices, especially gasoline, as the driver of the faster all-items CPI growth. Excluding gasoline, the CPI increased 2.0% year over year in April, compared with 2.2% in March.

The agency also reported that a year-over-year decline in travel-tour prices and slower rent price growth moderated the faster increase in the all-items CPI.

Energy prices rose sharply

Energy prices increased 19.2% year over year in April, following a 3.9% rise in March. Gasoline prices rose 28.6%, after increasing 5.9% in the previous month.

Statistics Canada said the April 2026 annual comparison was affected by the removal of the consumer carbon levy in April 2025. The removal had resulted in a monthly decline in gasoline and natural-gas prices in that month, adding upward pressure to the April 2026 12-month CPI movement.

The agency also cited supply uncertainty associated with conflict in the Middle East and the move to a more expensive summer gasoline blend as factors that raised gasoline prices. A temporary suspension of the federal fuel excise tax effective April 20 moderated the increase. Fuel oil and other fuels rose 41.3% year over year, while natural-gas prices fell 2.4%, a smaller decline than the 18.1% decrease in March.

Travel tours and rent provided moderating effects

Travel-tour prices fell 11.0% year over year in April after rising 11.5% in March. Statistics Canada reported a 17.3% monthly decline in April, following a 5.8% increase a month earlier.

National rent prices rose 3.6% year over year in April, slowing from 4.2% in March. Despite that slower pace, rent prices increased 30.8% between April 2021 and April 2026.

Prices rose at a faster annual pace in nine provinces. Quebec’s CPI increased 3.0%, compared with 2.9% in March. British Columbia was the only province where annual price growth did not accelerate, holding at 2.5%; its rent price growth slowed to 3.4% from 6.4%.

Basket-weight update was scheduled for June

Statistics Canada said updated CPI basket weights would be made available June 15, 2026. The new basket-weight reference period was to be 2025 and use household final consumption expenditure data, Survey of Household Spending data and other alternative data.

The May CPI release, scheduled for June 22, 2026, was to be based on the updated basket weights.

Starting with the April reference month, Statistics Canada began collecting prices for bestselling video games monthly rather than five times a year. The agency also introduced weighting at the console and game level, with reported prices representing a 30-day average.