Winnipeg/CMEDIA: Manitoba’s Finance Minister Adrien Sala reportedly announced Tuesday that Manitoba has the lowest inflation rate in Canada revealed by Statistics Canada Tuesday monthly report on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) across Canada.
Matioba has maintained for the fifth straight month lowes inflation rate in Canada.
“For too long, Manitobans were reaching deeper into their savings to cover their monthly expenses,” said Sala. “Our government took action right away to lower costs for families by cutting the 14-cents-a-litre gas tax, putting money back in your pocket and lowering overall inflation in Manitoba.”
Following Manitoba’s 0.4 percent rise in April, its consumer inflation accelerated to 1.3 percent on a year-over-year basis in May, but still remains well below Canada’s inflation rate of 2.9 percent.
Manitoba fared better than the national average on a number of measured by Statistics Canada including commonly purchased foods and services rent, gasoline, phone services, recreational equipment and clothing,
“Our decision to immediately cut the gas tax has had a direct impact on inflation, lowering everyday costs for families in Manitoba,” said Sala. “We know too many people are still feeling squeezed and our government is taking action to keep costs lower for people, whether they’re trying to pay their mortgage or buy groceries.”
It was estimated by the Manitoba Bureau of Statistics that fuel tax holiday has directly contributed to a decline of 0.4 percentage points to inflation.
Reduction of food inflation, which looks at both food purchased from stores and food purchased from restaurants, noted the minister is also being helped by Manitoba’s gas tax holiday.
