Edmonton's #1!

[Thorin]

...in inflation this year

Consumer Price Index, by city (monthly)
                                      Sep 2006   Aug 2007   Sep 2007   Aug 2007 to Sep 2007   Sep 2006 to Sep 2007
                                                 2002=100                               % change

St. John's (N.L.)                        109.3      110.7      110.7                    0.0                    1.3
Charlottetown and Summerside (P.E.I.)    111.1      113.3      113.7                    0.4                    2.3
Halifax (N.S.)                           110.0      112.2      112.6                    0.4                    2.4
Saint John (N.B.)                        108.9      111.4      112.0                    0.5                    2.8
Qu?bec (Que.)                            108.4      109.8      110.2                    0.4                    1.7
Montr?al (Que.)                          108.4      110.0      110.4                    0.4                    1.8
Ottawa?Gatineau (Ont. part)              108.3      110.9      110.9                    0.0                    2.4
Toronto (Ont.)                           108.1      110.6      110.8                    0.2                    2.5
Thunder Bay (Ont.)                       106.6      108.3      108.3                    0.0                    1.6
Winnipeg (Man.)                          108.6      111.1      111.6                    0.5                    2.8
Regina (Sask.)                           109.1      112.2      112.7                    0.4                    3.3
Saskatoon (Sask.)                        109.3      114.1      114.4                    0.3                    4.7
Edmonton (Alta.)                       113.2      119.1      119.1                    0.0                    5.2
Calgary (Alta.)                          114.7      119.3      119.3                    0.0                    4.0
Vancouver (B.C.)                         108.4      110.6      110.7                    0.1                    2.1
Victoria (B.C.)                          108.8      110.0      110.1                    0.1                    1.2
Whitehorse (Y.T.)                        107.2      110.5      110.8                    0.3                    3.4
Yellowknife (N.W.T.)                     107.8      111.1      111.6                    0.5                    3.5

[Shayne]

Not surprising with our house market catching up to the rest of Canada.

[Darren Dirt]

Inflation only *5* percent? Talk to the average fast food joint, definitely more than that in increased food prices I would guess.

[Thorin]

I'm not gonna argue with you over whether that number is correct, Darren.  You see, I happen to believe that people who crunch the numbers as a career might be better at it than you or I.  Have you ever read the details between how they determine what the Consumer Price Index is each month?  The manuals fill more than two 3" binders.  I tried once, and as much as I like minutiae, it was too much for me.

I will say one thing, though; I'm considering the rise in the Consumer Price Index to be equivalent to the common-usage meaning of "inflation".  You're talking about a specific sub-category in the Consumer Price Index; sub-categories are not normally considered to be equivalent to the common-usage meaning of "inflation".

Back on-topic: Last year's inflation for Edmonton at the end of December was 3.6%; for Calgary it was 4.8%.  If I recall correctly.  The numbers are much worse this year for Edmonton.

[Shayne]

I guess the real question is did you're lifestyle go 5.2% downwards or did you get a 5.2% pay raise to cover?  To be honest I hadn't really noticed.

[Thorin]

I had incorrect numbers...  Edmonton last year was 3.8% and Calgary was 5.7%:

http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/62-001-XIB/01206/tables_html/fCPItb8_en.htm

So I guess we're still not as bad off as Calgary last year.

I guess the real question is did you're lifestyle go 5.2% downwards or did you get a 5.2% pay raise to cover?  To be honest I hadn't really noticed.

Well, I noticed and my lifestyle's been affected.  I now bus to work instead of driving.  Yes, we've bought a newer vehicle, but the Consumer Price Index expects you to buy a newer vehicle every few years; that's part of the cost of living.  At least, I think vehicle prices are included in the All Items version of the index.

No raise yet, that'll hopefully come in January (that's when Sierra adjusts everyone's salary).

[Shayne]

I have to say I didnt see much.  Gas prices went up certainly but according to my finance tracker we only spend about $15/m more then we did at this time last year.  Not a lot.  Food prices are pretty close +/- 10% month to month.  To be honest the only place I noticed inflation is at Pizza Hut about 3 months ago when I ordered 2 mediums to go and it was around $25.  Last I recall it was closer to $20.

My rent is much higher then it was last year ($730 vs $1020), but my bills beyond that haven't changed (Vonage, Shaw, Health Care, etc).

I dunno.  I guess maybe?  My dad has always told me that the best way to monitor inflation and the current state of the economy is bread, egg and milk prices.  He became a financial adviser and investor after retiring from the military and bombardier (he always did the whole investing thing but now advises other people).  Seems like an odd way to track it, but says its near fool proof.

[Shayne]

You know, i bet if you budgeted real close and stuck to certain goods and services over a set period you could really do a good job of seeing trends.  My wife and I impulse buy 90% of our goods and services so its real tough for us to notice.  This month we might eat primarily chicken but during July we might have eaten more steak as its BBQ season.  Comparing month to month is almost futile.

If price adjusting comes to Canada as some retailers say it might, then that would make the CPI drop like a stone over a very short period especially in terms of Goods, Clothing, Household...

[CowGirl]

And yes, there has been a increase in milk and bread prices.  Even after I read Wal-Mart was dropping prices to be more inline with the american prices.  A 4L of Homo milk is 4.09, when Caleb started on Homo I was paying just under 4 dollars.  And that wasn't to long ago. 8 months at the most.

[Thorin]

I have to say I didnt see much [..] My rent is much higher then it was last year ($730 vs $1020)

Yeah, the Consumer Price Index All Items includes shelter.  So if your rent went up $290 from $730 to $1,020, that's a 39.73% increase.

My dad has always told me that the best way to monitor inflation and the current state of the economy is bread, egg and milk prices

I've heard that advice before.  If I remember right, it stems from the fact that a) they're basic staples of food in Canada (in China you'd probably look at rice prices), and b) their prices used to be set by governing boards that adjusted them based on inflation.

You know, i bet if you budgeted real close and stuck to certain goods and services over a set period you could really do a good job of seeing trends.

Well, yeah, that's what the folks at StatsCan who work on the Consumer Price Index do.  For a living.  For a lifelong career.  Which is why I quote them as a generally reliable source.

edit: fixed link to point to Alberta CPI instead of federal CPI.

[Shayne]

Wow.  CPI for shelter is 9.1%, I don't know many jobs that give you annual 10% raises.

[Thorin]

Yah.  And what's second?  Smokes and liquor.  Poor Trailer Park Boys

[Darren Dirt]

I'm not an economist, but I play one on the Internet

Good discussion, folks, seriously.

[Lazybones]

That those increases have been killer... makes Vancouver not look so bad.