Canadians caught a slight break on inflation in January, when energy prices appreciated less sharply than they did in the previous month.
Statistics Canada reported Friday that the annual inflation rate was 2.3% in January, a drop of one-10th of a point from December.
The statistics agency said that energy costs were the major force driving inflation, though the impact on consumers was less severe in January than it was the previous month.
StatsCan said that Canadians spent 9% more on energy costs than they did a year ago. That was a drop from December, when they were spending 10.5% more than they did the previous holiday season.
Gasoline prices continue to rise in January, with Canadians paying 13% per more to fill up their vehicles than they did a year before.
Along with energy costs, StatsCan reported that rising transportation and shelter costs contributed to the annual inflation rate sitting above the Bank of Canada's target 2% level. Higher restaurant costs were also a factor.
Food prices have also been on the rise in Canada over the past 12 months, with consumers paying 4% more for meat and 10.7% more for sugar and confectionary items in January than they did a year ago. But overall, food prices have only appreciated by 2.1% in the past year.
Clothing prices and footwear prices, on the other hand, fell 2.4% over this same time period. Women and children, in particular, paid less for what they were wearing.
The prices consumers paid for computer equipment, related supplies and video equipment also fell.
Despite the rise in annual inflation, StatsCan said that core inflation -- a measure that excludes volatile components such as energy -- was only 1.4% in January.
On a provincial basis, Ontario saw the highest jump in consumer prices in January, with Ontarians paying 2.9% more than they did 12 months before. Alberta had the smallest increase, at 1%.
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