REGINA – Saskatchewan residents are feeling the punch at the pumps this spring, as skyrocketing gasoline prices drove the province’s inflation rate well above the national average in March.
According to new data from Statistics Canada, Saskatchewan’s overall Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose 2.91 per cent year over year in March 2026. That figure easily outpaces the national inflation rate, which settled at 2.39 per cent for the same period. On a month-to-month basis, Saskatchewan saw prices jump by 1.31 per cent from February to March.
The primary culprit behind the rising cost of living is the price of fuel. Gasoline prices in Saskatchewan surged by a staggering 25.16 per cent in a single month between February and March of this year. Despite the massive monthly leap, gasoline prices are only up by 1.49 per cent compared to March 2025, which was the last month the consumer carbon surcharge was on the price of gasoline. It also reflects significant volatility in the energy market over the past year. Nationally, gasoline prices rose 21.24 per cent month over month, and 5.92 per cent annually.
Beyond the pumps, household budgets are also absorbing elevated costs at the grocery store. Food prices in Saskatchewan increased by 4.85 per cent year over year. This local increase in food costs sits nearly a full percentage point higher than the national food inflation rate of 3.97 per cent. Shelter costs in the province also ticked upward, rising 2.86 per cent.
While the cost of essential goods is climbing, provincial wage data offers a silver lining for some workers.
Median wages in Saskatchewan are currently beating inflation, rising 5.29 per cent year over year to $1,153.82 a week. This provincial wage growth outpaces the national median wage increase of 3.99 per cent.
However, the picture is slightly different when looking at average wages. The average weekly wage in Saskatchewan sits at $1,269.66, which represents a 3.24 per cent increase from March 2025. But on a month-to-month basis, average wages in the province actually contracted slightly, dipping by 0.05 per cent from February, even as the cost of living surged.
Nationally, the average weekly wage grew by 4.59 per cent year over year.
