How fast are shelter costs rising?
Shelter costs in Canada rose 8% year-over-year in January 2026, the fastest increase since 2022.
What this measures
The Consumer Price Index (CPI) for shelter measures the annual change in costs for housing, including rent, home ownership, and utilities. This matters because housing is the largest expense for most Canadian households, directly impacting affordability and living standards.
Shelter costs accelerating after years of moderation
After slowing to 2.4% in 2024 and 2.8% in 2025, shelter costs surged to 8% in January 2026, matching the rapid pace seen in 2022 and 2023. The rebound follows a period of tighter Bank of Canada monetary policy, which had temporarily cooled housing demand. Rising rents and mortgage interest costs are key drivers of the renewed acceleration.
Shelter cost inflation (YoY %)
Source: Statistics Canada, Table 18,100,004
View data table (15 values)
| Period | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 8% | +5.2 |
| 2025 | 2.8% | +0.4 |
| 2024 | 2.4% | -5.9 |
| 2023 | 8.3% | +0.2 |
| 2022 | 8.1% | +1.8 |
| 2021 | 6.3% | +3.5 |
| 2020 | 2.8% | -0.9 |
| 2019 | 3.7% | +3.2 |
| 2018 | 0.5% | -1.6 |
| 2017 | 2.1% | +1.7 |
| 2016 | 0.4% | -3.9 |
| 2015 | 4.3% | +2.9 |
| 2014 | 1.4% | 0 |
| 2013 | 1.4% | -2.8 |
| 2012 | 4.2% |
Data sources
Narratives are AI-generated from official Statistics Canada data. Verify at source.