Yellowknife (Apr 26/00) - The March consumer price index for Yellowknife was up compared to the same month a year ago, according to Statistics Canada figures released by the NWT Bureau of Statistics.

The all-items CPI for March was 1.9 per cent higher than March 1999. Despite the increase, the cost of living in Yk rose at a slower pace than it did in Edmonton, Whitehorse and nationally.

Edmonton's March CPI rose 3.3 per cent compared to the same month a year earlier, while Whitehorse was up two per cent. The national average was three per cent.

When comparing the March Yellowknife CPI to February, the cost of living rose one-half per cent. The February to March increase was linked to price increases for children's clothing, footwear, fuel, and personal-care supplies. Fresh vegetables and women's clothing were also more expensive.

Off-setting the increases were declines in the cost of sugar, fresh and frozen poultry, fresh fruit and men's clothing.

Recreational equipment and services (excluding vehicles), other household goods and inter-city transportation were also reported to be lower.