Canada’s core Consumer Price Index (CPI) accelerated in February 2026, rising 0.4% month-over-month, up from a 0.2% increase in January 2026. The latest data, updated on 16 March 2026, signals a pickup in underlying inflation pressures compared with the start of the year.
On a month-over-month basis, the February reading shows that core prices are now advancing at twice the pace seen in January, when the indicator had held at 0.2%. As the core CPI strips out more volatile components, this firming suggests that inflation momentum in the Canadian economy may be strengthening beneath the surface. Investors and policymakers will be closely watching subsequent releases to determine whether this marks the beginning of a more persistent upward trend in underlying price growth.
