Canadave
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,290
- Location
- Toronto, ON, Canada
From yesterday's Globe and Mail newspaper. These show some interesting trends that I thought some of you would like to see. Notice the 1960s!
Inflated history
Here's how Canada's consumer price index (CPI) has evolved over the past 92 years. (The CPI is a measure of what shoppers pay in stores, hotels, hair salons and at the pumps...
Because Canadian appetites change all the time, so too does the index. Plasma televisions and recordable DVD home theatre systems will be added to June's index, said George Beelen, Statistics Canada's director of prices division.)
1910s
First index compiling prices paid by "workingmen in cities" appears in 1913. It features fuel, lighting and rent, as well as 29 food items such as mutton, lard, vinegar spirits and just two kinds of fruits.
1920s
Index adds other fruits such as raisins, currants and peaches. It also includes the costs of stationery, crockery, doctors' and hospital fees, as well as motor operation costs and phone rates.
1930s
Major changes focus on putting more detail into the index, rather than having a large miscellaneous category. Car costs take on a greater weighting in the index.
1940s
Statisticians delete women's woollen hosiery, woollen panties and a shave in a barber shop from the list. They add margarine, chocolate bars, women's girdles, ice and household help.
1950s
Bologna is removed from the index. So are laundry bar soap, men's overalls and radio licences. The index now includes doughnuts, instant coffee, electric sewing machines and plane fares.
1960s
Lard, coal and men's hats dropped from CPI. Doctors' fees are removed with the start of medicare. More frozen foods are added, along with stereo combinations, parking costs and boats.
1970s
There are changes to how the index includes home ownership in cities. Property taxes, mortgage fees, repairs, replacement costs and insurance are added.
1980s
Revisions cause minor changes in basket contents as inflation rates rise to double-digit levels in the earlier 1980s. Altogether, the index now measures 450 items gathered in 59 cities.
1990s
Statscan adds cellphone services, a statistician's nightmare because the varying types of cellphone plans make comparisons difficult. Bank of Canada starts inflation-targeting policy.
2002
Internet service providers and bank service fees are added. DVD rentals replace VHS rentals. Prices in Iqaluit are tracked. This month, MP3 portable players, recordable DVDs appear for the first time.
David
Inflated history
Here's how Canada's consumer price index (CPI) has evolved over the past 92 years. (The CPI is a measure of what shoppers pay in stores, hotels, hair salons and at the pumps...
Because Canadian appetites change all the time, so too does the index. Plasma televisions and recordable DVD home theatre systems will be added to June's index, said George Beelen, Statistics Canada's director of prices division.)
1910s
First index compiling prices paid by "workingmen in cities" appears in 1913. It features fuel, lighting and rent, as well as 29 food items such as mutton, lard, vinegar spirits and just two kinds of fruits.
1920s
Index adds other fruits such as raisins, currants and peaches. It also includes the costs of stationery, crockery, doctors' and hospital fees, as well as motor operation costs and phone rates.
1930s
Major changes focus on putting more detail into the index, rather than having a large miscellaneous category. Car costs take on a greater weighting in the index.
1940s
Statisticians delete women's woollen hosiery, woollen panties and a shave in a barber shop from the list. They add margarine, chocolate bars, women's girdles, ice and household help.
1950s
Bologna is removed from the index. So are laundry bar soap, men's overalls and radio licences. The index now includes doughnuts, instant coffee, electric sewing machines and plane fares.
1960s
Lard, coal and men's hats dropped from CPI. Doctors' fees are removed with the start of medicare. More frozen foods are added, along with stereo combinations, parking costs and boats.
1970s
There are changes to how the index includes home ownership in cities. Property taxes, mortgage fees, repairs, replacement costs and insurance are added.
1980s
Revisions cause minor changes in basket contents as inflation rates rise to double-digit levels in the earlier 1980s. Altogether, the index now measures 450 items gathered in 59 cities.
1990s
Statscan adds cellphone services, a statistician's nightmare because the varying types of cellphone plans make comparisons difficult. Bank of Canada starts inflation-targeting policy.
2002
Internet service providers and bank service fees are added. DVD rentals replace VHS rentals. Prices in Iqaluit are tracked. This month, MP3 portable players, recordable DVDs appear for the first time.
David
