British Columbia’s inflation rate edged up in September to 1.9 per cent year over year, up from 1.8 per cent in August, although excluding both food and energy, growth eased to 1.8 per cent from two per cent.

B.C. inflation was lower than the national reading at 2.4 per cent.

In B.C., energy prices fell 2.7 per cent year over year, a much slower decline from 5.1 per cent last month, largely due to a base year effect. Gasoline prices were also similarly down 3.4 per cent in September compared to seven per cent in August. From April to September, gasoline and energy prices in B.C. were up 4.1 and three per cent, respectively.

Consumers were also hit at the grocery store with food prices up 3.9 per cent in September compared to 3.2 per cent in August. Fish and seafood prices were up 7.3 per cent while meat prices were up 6.5 per cent. Vegetable prices rose 1.1 per cent, which was the first time in four months the year-over-year........

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