Manitoba shares the top spot for the highest inflation rate in Canada, with escalating food prices being a significant factor. In the past year, overall inflation surged by 4.3 percent in Manitoba and Nova Scotia, as per the latest consumer price index data from Statistics Canada published on Tuesday. This increase surpasses the nation-wide inflation rates, which rose by 2.8 percent, partly due to the impact of the conflict in Iran on driving up costs.
Professor Sylvain Charlebois, the director of the Agri-Food Analytics Lab at Dalhousie University, expressed concerns about the prolonged Iranian conflict potentially leading to higher prices at grocery stores. He highlighted the challenges of servicing markets like the Prairies, particularly citing the substantial rise in energy costs over the past year.
Statistics Canada’s data reveals that Manitoba witnessed the highest food inflation surge among all provinces between April 2025 and April 2026, reaching 4.9 percent, which is approximately one percentage point above the national average. Property taxes in Manitoba also saw a significant increase, rising by over 19 percent, double the rate of the next-highest province, British Columbia.
Furthermore, Manitoba led in food cost increases for items purchased from stores, fruits, including packaged fruits and nuts, with rises of 4.8 percent and 4.3 percent, respectively. The province also ranked second highest in inflation rates for fish, seafood, and other marine products.
While meat prices in Manitoba increased, the surge was relatively lower compared to several other provinces. Fresh or frozen pork products saw a 5.2 percent rise, the lowest in Canada, while fresh or frozen poultry costs decreased by 0.4 percent, positioning Manitoba behind only Alberta, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Saskatchewan.
According to Charlebois, the inflation in prices can be attributed in part to challenges in the transportation and trucking sectors. The volatile energy costs have led companies to set higher prices for moving products, affecting prices across the country, including in Manitoba.
Apart from groceries, Manitobans experienced notable price hikes in other sectors such as clothing, footwear, electricity, and health and personal care goods. Notably, clothing and footwear costs increased by 3.4 percent, electricity costs surged by four percent, and health and personal care goods saw a 5.2 percent increase in Manitoba, the highest in the country.
The Progressive Conservative finance critic, Lauren Stone, criticized the NDP for allowing Manitoba’s cost of living to become the highest in the nation. In response, Finance Minister Adrien Sala highlighted the NDP’s initiatives to manage cost pressures through regional affordability programs, including a planned reduction in the gas tax and eliminating the PST on certain grocery items.
Sala condemned the Tories for delaying the budget implementation and tax statutes act until the NDP commits to raising the basic personal tax exemption. He emphasized the importance of providing savings to Manitobans and urged for bipartisan support to ensure timely implementation of cost-saving measures.
Charlebois mentioned that the proposed PST cut on packaged foods in Manitoba could lead to modest annual savings ranging from $80 to $200 per household. Despite the moderate impact, these savings could offer some relief to households amidst rising inflation and cost of living challenges.