Inflation ticks down to 3.8% in September as grocery prices ease

 Inflation cooled to 3.8 per cent nationally last month, Statistics Canada said Tuesday, down from 4.0 per cent in August and snapping a streak of two consecutive monthly accelerations.

The annual rate of inflation saw a “broad-based” slowdown in September amid signs of continuing relief at the grocery store, the agency said.

StatCan said Canadians saw price at the grocery store rise 5.8 per cent in September, cooling from the 6.9 per cent increase in August.

Price growth for meat, dairy products, vegetables and coffee and tea all decelerated month-to-month, though edible fats and oils, bakery products, fish and fresh fruit saw costs rise quicker.

Higher costs for mortgages and rents were the main factors fuelling inflation in the month, StatCan said.

At the fuel pumps, gasoline prices rose 7.5 per cent year-over-year, but they declined slightly on a monthly basis, according to the agency.

Canadians also saw outright declines in the cost of airfare in the month, with prices down 21.1 per cent year-over-year. StatCan noted the price drop coincided with a gradual increase in flights on offer from airlines over the past year.

Canadians also saw prices drop annually on durable goods including furniture and appliances. New passenger vehicles saw prices grow at a slower rate in September, which StatCan attributed to better stock for new cars in the market