Canada's inflation rate for September 2026: 3.1%
Statistics Canada reports that consumer prices were 3.1% higher in September 2026 than a year earlier, up from 3.0% in August. Gasoline drove it: pump prices were 27.8% higher than a year ago, and without gasoline inflation was 2.2%. The all-items index stands at 170, 0.1% from August. September is the last month the CRA uses to index the 2027 tax brackets, credits and TFSA limit, which it announces after this release.
What went up, and by how much
| Category | 12-month change, September 2026 |
|---|---|
| All items | 3.1% |
| Gasoline | 27.8% |
| Transportation | 8.4% |
| All items except gasoline | 2.2% |
| Shelter | 1.8% |
| Food from stores | 1.7% |
Groceries and housing costs rose more slowly than prices overall. The jump is mostly at the pump, which is why the federal fuel excise tax, paused to January 31, 2027, is worth knowing about: see federal fuel tax 2027.
The index, month by month
| Month | CPI (2002 = 100) |
|---|---|
| September 2026 | 170 |
| August 2026 | 169.8 |
| July 2026 | 169.9 |
| June 2026 | 169 |
| May 2026 | 169.6 |
| April 2026 | 168 |
| March 2026 | 167.4 |
| February 2026 | 165.9 |
| January 2026 | 165 |
| December 2025 | 165 |
| November 2025 | 165.4 |
| October 2025 | 165.3 |
| September 2025 | 164.9 |
| August 2025 | 164.8 |
| July 2025 | 164.9 |
What it means for 2027
The CRA's indexation factor compares the average CPI for October to September with the average a year earlier. It drives the 2027 TFSA limit and the tax brackets and credits. Neither is published until the CRA announces it. See what a past amount is worth today on the inflation calculator.
Frequently asked questions
- What was Canada's inflation rate in September 2026?
- 3.1% over 12 months, from Statistics Canada's consumer price index (all items, 2002 = 100, 170). Prices moved 0.1% from August.
- How does inflation set the 2027 TFSA limit and tax brackets?
- The CRA indexes brackets, credits and the TFSA limit by the average CPI for the 12 months to September 30 compared with the average a year earlier. The September figure is the last month in that average. The CRA announces the factor and the TFSA limit in the weeks after; this site will carry them the day they are published.
- Why did inflation go up in September 2026?
- Gasoline. Prices at the pump were 27.8% higher than a year earlier, after 22.8% in August. Without gasoline, the index rose 2.2%, slower than August's 2.4%.
- When is the next inflation figure?
- October's figure is released on Monday, November 16, 2026, at 8:30 a.m. Eastern, according to Statistics Canada's release schedule.
The category figures are from Statistics Canada, The Daily: Consumer Price Index, September 2026, released October 19, 2026.
Sources
Every figure on this page comes from one of these primary sources. Data last verified .
- Statistics Canada – Table 18-10-0005-01, Consumer Price Index, annual average, not seasonally adjusted (all-items, Canada, 2002=100, vector v41693271, 2025 value released 2026-01-19)
- Statistics Canada – Table 18-10-0004-01, Consumer Price Index, monthly, not seasonally adjusted (all-items, Canada, 2002=100, vector v41690973)