• MMT App
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • French
  • Find an Expert
  • Home
  • Mortgage Prep
  • Buying a Home
  • Renewal
  • Commercial
  • Rates & Lenders
  • More Value
  • Economic Insights
  • Our House Blog
  • MMT App
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • French
  • Find an Expert
  • All
  • COVID-19
  • Finance
  • Housing Market

Published by Sherry Cooper

February 16, 2022

Canadian Inflation Rose Again in January to 5.1% y/y, Pressuring The Bank of Canada to Hike Rates in March.

Inflation Ticked Up Again in January

StatsCanada today reported that consumer price inflation rose to 5.1% from year-ago levels in January, compared to 4.8% in December. This was higher than expected but still well below US inflation posted at 7.5% for the same period. Undoubtedly, this puts additional pressure on the Bank of Canada to hike the overnight policy rate target in early March when it meets again, despite the disappointing jobs data last month. Even excluding gasoline, the CPI rose 4.3% y/y last month.

Shelter costs rose 6.2% year over year in January 2022, the fastest pace since February 1990. Higher prices for new homes contribute to higher costs associated with the upkeep of a property or the homeowners’ replacement cost. Higher home prices also tend to raise other owned accommodation expenses. In contrast, lower interest rates bring borrowing costs down—measured in the CPI through the mortgage interest cost index, which includes new and resale home prices.

The owned accommodation index, which measures the ongoing costs of homeownership, increased 6.1% year over year in January. Homeowners’ replacement cost (+13.5%) and other owned accommodation expenses (+14.0%), which includes commissions on the sale of real estate, put upward pressure on shelter prices amid rapid price growth in the housing market throughout the pandemic.

Conversely, mortgage interest costs fell 6.8% year over year in January, putting downward pressure on the shelter index.

Renters also saw a rise in prices, as the rented accommodation index increased 3.2% year over year, contributing to the higher shelter prices Canadians faced in January.

Another highly visible component of rising inflation was the surge in food prices. Shoppers paid more for groceries, as food prices from stores rose faster in January 2022 (+6.5%) than in December 2021 (+5.7%).

Prices for fresh or frozen beef (+13.0%), fresh or frozen chicken (+9.0%), and fresh or frozen fish (+7.9%) rose more in January 2022 compared with December 2021. Margarine (+16.5%) and condiments, spices, and kinds of vinegar (+12.1%) were also up compared with January 2021. Higher input prices and shipping costs because of ongoing supply chain disruptions have contributed to increased food prices. In addition to supply chain disruptions, unfavourable growing conditions have led to higher prices for fresh fruit (+8.2%) and bakery products (+7.4%).

Consumers paid more for alcohol in January 2022, as alcoholic beverages purchased from stores rose 2.9%, following a 1.6% gain in December 2021. Much of this increase stemmed from higher prices for both beer and wine, amid material shortages and increased shipping costs.

Bottom Line

Inflation has now exceeded the Bank of Canada’s 1% to 3% target band for 10 consecutive months. Other central banks have already begun to hike overnight rates from their effective lower bound of 25 basis points introduced in March 2020.

The U.S. Federal Reserve is preparing to raise interest rates in March, and last Friday’s jobs report fueled speculation it may need to move aggressively. The Bank of England just delivered back-to-back hikes, and some of its officials wanted to act even more forcefully. The Bank of Canada is set for liftoff next month. Even the European Central Bank may get in on the action later this year.

The recent trucker protests and border blockades have further disrupted the fragile auto supply chain. Wages in Canada rose 2.4% y/y, so Canadian households, on average, are seeing their purchasing power diminish.

Markets are pricing in as many as seven increases in borrowing costs over the next 12 months. While the Bank runs the risk of tightening too aggressively, there is little doubt that the emergency monetary easing has run its course.

Please Note: The source of this article is from SherryCooper.com/category/articles/

Share this:
Categories: Finance

Recommended articles.

View More

Canadian Housing Might Be Turning A Corner As Sales Picked Up in June and Prices Flattened.

July 15, 2025

Home Sales Rose As Prices Stabilized–Housing Market is Turning a Corner The number of home sales recorded over Canadian MLS® Systems rose 2.8% on a month-over-month basis in June 2025, […]

Read More

Canadian Inflation Accelerates by 1.9% y/y in June; US inflation comes in below forecast for the fifth consecutive month

July 15, 2025

Today’s Report Shows Inflation Remains a Concern, Forestalling BoC Action Canadian consumer prices accelerated for the first time in four months in June, and underlying price pressures firmed, likely keeping […]

Read More

Canada Unexpectedly Adds 83,100 Jobs in June, The Biggest Gain of 2025

July 11, 2025

Canada’s Economy Shows Amazing Resilience in June The Canadian economy refuses to buckle under the weight of tariff uncertainty and further potential tariff hikes. The Labour Force Survey, released this […]

Read More

Canadian GDP is Set To Contract In Q2

June 27, 2025

Canada Is Headed For A Moderate Economic Contraction in Q2 Real gross domestic product (GDP) edged down 0.1% in April, following a 0.2% increase in March. The preliminary estimate for […]

Read More

Canadian CPI inflation held steady at 1.7% y/y in May. Core inflation edged downward.

June 24, 2025

Today’s Report Shows Inflation Remains a Concern The Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 1.7% year-over-year in May, matching the 1.7% increase in April. A reduced rent price increase and a decline in […]

Read More
  • Find an Expert
  • Home
  • Mortgage Prep
  • Buying a Home
  • Renewal
  • Commercial
  • Rates & Lenders
  • More Value
  • Economic Insights
  • Our House Blog
  • MMT App
  • Careers
  • Contact
  • French
  • Find an Expert

© 2025 Dominion Lending Centres Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Terms & Conditions