The overall cost of living in Saskatchewan didn’t change too much in June, according to data released Tuesday by Statistics Canada. However, while there wasn’t much of a change to the overall inflation rate, there were some substantial changes.
The Consumer Price Index, or CPI, increased by 0.06 per cent from May to June, which was a negligible change. The CPI increased by 1.66 per cent year over year. This increase, which was below the national rate of 1.9 per cent, was driven primarily by a drop in energy prices, while there were rising costs for nearly everything else.
There have been some significant changes in the costs for the average consumer in the province over the past 12 months. While the price of gasoline, on average, is 12 per cent lower than it was last year, providing the most relief to household budgets compared to last summer, the prices for things such as shelter and food were up. Housing costs, when comparing June 2024 to June 2025, were up by 3.3 per cent, with food costs up by 3.3 per cent as well. The biggest increase was for clothing, which was up by 4.5 per cent.
The month-to-month changes weren’t as drastic, however. Prices for shelter and overall transportation costs were up by 0.3 per cent and 0.6 per cent, respectively, in June compared to May. Meanwhile, clothing actually saw a month-to-month drop of 1.3 per cent, and gasoline was down by 1.7 per cent. Due to the nearly opposite increases and decreases, the overall monthly inflation rate was less than a tenth of a percentage point.
This is having an impact on residents in Weyburn and across the province, as the savings from filling up a vehicle compared to last summer are, for many, being redirected to cover higher housing payments and a more expensive trip to the grocery store.