The move compared with a year-over-year increase of 2.2 per cent in December.

Slower growth in the price of fresh vegetables helped offset higher energy prices.

But the year-over-year increase is partly a reflection of sharply lower gasoline prices in November 2018, Statistics Canada said.

The price of fresh vegetables was up nearly 17 per cent compared to May of last year.

Gas prices continued to rise in August, although at a slower paced compared to July.

Higher prices for gasoline, airline tickets and restaurants, along with rising mortgage costs, fuelled the inflation increase.

The annual pace of inflation cooled, but the numbers suggest consumer prices are broadly on the rise.

Canada's inflation rate declined last month, with the December consumer price index showing a 12-month increase of 1.9 per cent.

A look at the industries that stayed way ahead of inflation over the past 20 years — and those that didn't.

Gasoline supply disruptions during the hurricane season drove the consumer price uptick.