Yellowknife (Feb 21/01) - Yellowknifers paid more for goods and services in the first month of the year, compared to January 2000, according to the latest figures.
The Yellowknife all-items consumer price index for January was 2.3 per cent higher than a year earlier. Statistics Canada numbers were released last week by the Government of the Northwest Territories Bureau of Statistics.
By comparison, the annual price increase was 3.0 per cent for Canada, 0.3 per cent for Edmonton and 3.2 per cent for Whitehorse.
The overall price increase in Yellowknife of 2.3 per cent between January 2000 and January 2001 can be largely attributed to an 11.6 per cent increase in gasoline.
The largest contributor in offsetting this annual price increases was a 3.5 per cent decline in the recreational equipment and services (excluding vehicles).
In Yellowknife, there was no change in the consumer price index for January compared to December. This was the result of several opposing price movements.
The price increases with the heaviest impact were for telephone services, women's clothing, inter-city transportation and clothing accessories and jewelry. Higher prices were also noted for preserved fruit and fruit preparations, fresh fruit and travel services.
Lower prices for fresh vegetables, purchase and leasing of automotive vehicles, fuel oil and other fuel and footwear made up most of the offsetting effect.
