Rent and mortgage interest costs continued to be primary drivers of the inflation rate, the agency said. Meanwhile, gas prices ticked up 0.8 per cent in February year-over-year after a four per cent decline in January.

Canadians who signed up for a new cell phone plan in February paid 26.5 per cent less than they would have at the same time last year — this was due to lower prices for new plans and increases in data allowances.