The data cover Bakers, Building Trades (41 trades), Chauffeurs and Teamsters and Drivers, Granite Cutters and Stonecutters, Laundry Workers, Linemen, Longshoremen, Printing Trades (book and job offices 10 trades; news offices, 8 trades), and Street Railway Employees. The number of employees included ir the compilation was 824,313 in 66 cities. It will be observed that figures for railway employees, coal miners, iron and steel workers, etc., are not included. The average rate per hour for all trades inIcluded in the calculation was found to be $1.148 in 1926 as compared with $1.091 in 1925, the 1926 average being 5.2 per cent above that for 1925, 119.3 per cent higher than 1917, 150.3 per cent higher than in 1913, 165.1 per cent higher than in 1910 and 179 per cent higher than in 1907. All hourly rates have been converted to equivalent weekly rates and all weekly rates have been reduced to equivalent hourly rates. Taken collectively, weekly rates in 1926 were 5 per cent higher than in 1925, 107.6 per cent higher than in 1917 and 155.0 per cent higher than in 1907. Because of reductions in hours of labour, weekly rates have not increased PRICES, RETAIL AND WHOLESALE, IN CANADA, NOVEMBER, 1926 Cost of Living, Prices of Staple Articles and Index Numbers HE movement in prices during the month THE was slight; both the weekly family budget and the Dominion Bureau of Statistics index number of wholesale prices were, however, somewhat higher. In retail prices the cost per week of a list of twenty-nine staple foods for an average family of five, in terms of the average retail prices in some sixty cities advanced to $11.01 for the beginning of November, as compared with $10.93 for October; $11.23 for November, 1925; $10.46 for November, 1924; $10.69 for November, 1923; $10.29 for November, 1922; $11.08 for November, 1921; $15.32 for November, 1920; $16.92 for June, 1920 (the peak); $13.65 for November, 1918; and $7.96 for November, 1914. Eggs were again substantially higher, while less important advances occurred in the prices of milk, butter, cheese, potatoes and beans. The decline in the price of meats continued, beef, veal, mutton, fresh and salt pork, and bacon being somewhat lower than the prices prevailing in October. The prices of lard and evaporated apples also declined. Including the cost of fuel and rent with that of foods the total budget averaged $21.24 at the beginning of November, as compared with $21.14 for October; $21.51 for November, 1925; $20.81 for November, 1924; $21.19 for November, 1923; $20.89 for November, 1922; $21.60 for November, 1921; $26.13 for November. 1920; $26.92 for July, 1920 (the peak); $21.61 for November, 1918; and $14.36 for November, 1914. In fuel bituminous coal advanzai slightly. No changes occurred in rent. In wholesale prices the index number calculated by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, based upon the average prices of 236 commodities in 1913 as 100, and weighted according to the commercial importance of the commodities, advanced slightly to 151.5 for November, as compared with 151.1 for October; 161.2 for November, 1925; 157.7 for November, 1924; 153.3 for November, 1923; 151.9 for November, 1922; 153.6 for November, 1921; 224.4 for November, 1920; 256.7 for May, 1920 (the peak); and 207.4 for November, 1918. Thirty-four price quotations were higher, seventy-one were lower and one hundred and thirty-one were unchanged. In the grouping according to chief component materials three of the eight main groups advanced, four declined, while one was unchanged. The Vegetables and their Products group, and the Animals and their Products group advanced; the former due to higher prices for potatoes, sugar, fruits, hay and straw, which more than offset declines in the prices of grains, rubber, flour and milled products; and the latter due to seasonal increases in the prices of butter and eggs, which more than offset declines in the prices of live stock and meats. The Iron and its Products group also showed a slight advance, because of higher prices for pig iron and steel billets. The groups which declined were: The Fibres, Textiles and Textile Products group, due to lower prices for cotton, silk and wool; the Non-Ferrous Metals and their Products group, because of declines in the prices of copper, lead, tin, spelter and solder; the NonMetallic Minerals and their Products group, due to lower prices for gasoline; and the Chemicals and Allied Products group. The Wood and Wood Products group was unchanged. In the grouping according to purpose consumers' goods remained unchanged, higher prices for butter, eggs, vegetables and fruit counterbalancing lower prices for coffee, meats, fish and bread stuffs. Producers' goods declined slightly, higher prices for materials for the fur industry, for the leather industry, for the metal working industries and for miscellaneous producers' materials being more than offset by declines in the prices of materials for the textile and clothing industries, for the chemical using industries, for the meat packing industries, and for the milling and other industries. In the grouping according to origin raw or partly manufactured goods advanced, declines in the prices of grains, rubber, coffee, fish, cotton, wool and silk being more than offset by increases in the prices of vegetables, fruit, eggs, hay, straw and smelted products. Fully or chiefly manufactured goods declined due mainly to lower prices for flour and milled products, meats, lard, tallow, rolling mill products and some non-ferrous metals. Domestic farm products advanced. Articles of marine origin and articles of mineral origin declined, while articles of forest origin were unchanged. The Canadian Bank of Commerce index of the wholesale prices of exports fell from 152.15 for October to 150.69 for November. That for imports was also slightly lower at 153.14 for November, as compared with 153.63 for October. The combined index of both exports and imports was down from 152.89 to 151.91. 30907-6 EXPLANATORY NOTE AS ΤΟ WHOLESALE The index number calculated by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics is based upon the prices of 236 commodities, price levels in 1913 being taken as the base, that is equal to 100, the figures being weighted according to the commercial and industrial importance of each article included. This index number has been calculated by years back to 1890, being unweighted, however, for the period 1890 to 1913 and has been calculated by months from 1919 to date for all groupings and from 1913 to date for the principal grouping. Summary tables of the Bureau's index number may be found in the supplement to the LABOUR GAZETTE for January, 1925, January, 1926, and in greater detail in the Report on "Prices and Price Indexes 1913-24," issued by the Bureau. A description of the methods used in the construction of the index number appears in the LABOUR GAZETTE for June, 1923. The accompanying table gives the index numbers of the Dominion Bureau of Statistics by the principal groups in the three methods of classification and with those of the classification according to purpose or use in detail for the current month and for certain preceding dates. EXPLANATORY NOTES AS TO RETAIL PRICES The table of retail prices and rentals shows the prices at the beginning of November of seventy-one staple foodstuffs, groceries, coal, wood and coal oil and the rent for six-roomed houses in some sixty cities throughout Canada. All prices are for delivered goods. The exact quality, for which the quotation is given is set forth in the case of each commodity, and every effort has been made to ensure that the quotations in each case refer to the same class of commodity in order that the statistics may be available for purposes of comparison from month to month, from city to city, etc. The prices of foods and groceries in each city, except milk and bread, are the averages of quotations reported to the Department and to the Dominion Bureau of Statistics by a number The of representative butchers and grocers in each. prices of fuel and the rates for rent are reported by the correspondents of the LABOUR GAZETTE. Statistics similar to these were published each month from 1910 to 1920, the figures during this period being secured at the middle of each month by the correspondents of the LABOUR GAZETTE resident in each locality from dealers doing a considerable business with workingmen's households. From 1910 to 1915 the table contained a list of only the twenty-nine foods included in the family budget, with laundry starch, coal, wood, coal oil and rent. In 1915 when monthly publication of the budget in the LABOUR GAZETTE was begun, it was decided to extend the list of foods to 40, and in 1920 the list of foods and groceries was still further extended to include over 100 items. Beginning with October, 1922, a number of commodities were dropped from the list, and in the case of a number of articles the average prices of the grades most sold have been given, owing to the impossiblity of securing prices for uniform grades for the various cities from month to month. Oleomargarine was dropped in March, 1924, the provision for its manufacture and sale since 1917, notwithstanding the Dairy Act, expired at the end of February, 1924. The quotations for rent are the prevailing rates for six-roomed houses of two classes in districts extensively occupied by workingmen. The first class is of houses in good condition, favourably located in The such districts with good modern conveniences. second class is of houses in fair condition less desirably located, but still fairly central, without modern conveniences. The weekly budget of a family of five, calculated in terms of the average prices in the cities for which reports are received, includes twenty-nine staple foods, laundry starch, coal, wood, coal oil, and rent, these being the items for which statistics have been obtained each month and published in the LABOUR GAZETTE since January, 1910. The quantities of each commodity included are modifications of those employed in similar calculations by various authorities. For some articles comparatively large quantities are included owing to the absence of other important items of the same class. For instance, the only fruits are evaporated apples and prunes, and the only fresh vegetable is potatoes. But as market conditions affecting these usually affect the prices of other fruits and vegetables somewhat similarly, the relative proportions of expenditure on the various classes of foods tends to be maintained. At times when the price of an article heavily weighted for this purpose rises, or falls (abnormally) the increase (or decrease) in food prices so indicated is exaggerated, and this should be taken into account in using the budget as an indicator of changes in the cost of living. In fuel and lighting the quantities are estimated on a similar principle, anthracite coal being used chiefly east of Manitoba, and soft coal and wood in the western provinces, while no allowance is made for the quantities required in the various localities owing to climatic conditions, nor for the differences in the heating value of the various fuels. It was estimated, when the budget was first published in 1912 in the report on wholesale prices in Canada for 1911, that these calculations represented from sixty to eighty per cent of the expenditures of an ordinary family, according to the total income. For the average family of five the expenditure on these items of food, fuel, light and rent would be perhaps two-thirds or about sixty-five per cent of the total income. While the budget serves to show the increase or decrease from time to time in the cost of the items included, it does not purport to show the minimum cost of food and fuel supplies for an average family in the Dominion or in any one province. The quantities of meats, dairy products, cereals, etc., included were adapted as affording a liberal supply for the healthy family of a man at hard physical work. On the other hand an average family with an income sufficient to do so would buy less meat, etc., but more fruit, fresh and canned vegetables, etc., so that comparative expenditure would be little changed. Cost of Electric Current and Gas for With rates in 1913 as 100, index numbers of electric light rates were 1900, 141.4; 1905, 135.6; 1910, 118.1; 1911, 113.4; 1912, 109.1; 1913, 100.0; 1914, 96.5; 1915, 90.8; 1916, 87.6; 1917, 87.2; 1918, 85.8; 1919, 85.8; 1920, 84.2; 1921, 84.9; 1922, 82.7; 1923, 79.5; 1924, 79.2; 1925, 75.6. The above figures were arrived at by converting to the base of 1913 as 100, an index number of electric current costs from 1900 to 1913 constructed for the Board of Inquiry into the cost of living in Canada, 1914-1915 (Report, Vol. 2, page 318) and bringing the figures down to 1925. The figures are unweighted. The Dominion Bureau of Statistics has recently issued an index number of electric curent rates for household consumption as follows: 1923, 73.8; 1924, 71.5; 1925, 69.1. This index number is weighted according to con When the above index weighted according to sumption in each city. The following are index numbers of rates for manufactured and natural gas for the years 1913 to 1925 issued by the Dominion Bureau of Statistics:-Manufactured gas, 1913, 100; 1914, 98.2; 1915, 98.0; 1916, 96.2; 1917, 100.8; 1918, 107.5; 1919, 111.4; 1920, 125.6; 1921, 144.4; 1922, 141.4; 1923, 136.2; 1924, 135.1; 1925, 132.0. Natural gas, 1913, 100; 1914, 102.3; 1915, 105.0; 1916, 105.0; 1917, 108.2; 1918, 104.8; 1919, 114.0; 1920, 126.2; 1921, 135.1; 1922. 158.9; 1923, 158.6; 1924, 156.8; 1925, 175.3. For the years 1900 to 1913 two index numbers of gas costs, calculated for the Cost of Living Inquiry in 1914-1915, have been averaged and converted to the base of 1913 as 100, as follows:-1900, 125.8; 1901, 125.8; 1902, 125.8; 1903, 125.2; 1904, 123.9; 1905, 120.1; 1906, 107.5; 1907, 108.8; 1908, 106.9; 1909, 105.7; 1910, 103.8; 1911, 99.4; 1912, 100.6; 1913, 100.0. Retail Prices Beef prices were again generally lower, sirloin steak averaging 28.8 cents per pound in November, as compared with 29.5 cents in October; round steak 25.5 cents in November, as compared with 23.5 cents in October; shoulder roast 15.7 cents in November and 15.9 cents in October. Veal declined from an average of 19.9 cents per pound in October to 19.7 cents in November. Mutton was slightly lower at 29.2 cents per pound in the average. Both fresh and salt pork were lower, the former averaging 29.8 cents per pound, as compared with 30.8 cents in October, and the latter 27.9 cents per pound, as compared with 28.3 cents in October. Bacon was down from an average of 44.4 cents per pound in October to 43.5 cents in November. In fresh fish, cod steak, halibut and white fish advanced. Lard was lower in most localities, the average price being down from 24.5 cents per pound in October to 24 cents in November. Eggs advanced substantially in most localities, fresh averaging 56.1 cents per dozen in November, as compared with 49.8 cents in October and 41.4 cents in September; and cooking averaging 48.2 cents in November, as compared with 44.3 cents in October and 37.1 cents in September. Milk was slightly higher, averaging 11.8 cents per quart. Higher prices were reported from New Glasgow, Halifax, Three Rivers, Sorel, Ottawa, Peterborough, Sudbury, Port Arthur, Fort William, (Continued on page 1250) COST PER WEEK OF A FAMILY BUDGET OF STAPLE FOODS, FUEL AND LIGHTING, AND RENT IN TERMS OF THE AVERAGE PRICES IN SIXTY CITIES IN CANADA⚫ Commodities Quan- (†) (t) 1910 1913 Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Nov. Oct. Nov. tity 1900 1905 Beef, sirloin, 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1926 2lbs. 27-2 30-4 37-6 44.4 48.8 47.4 52.2 62.6 75.2 69-2 75-6 56.2 55.4 55.6 53.8 55.4 59-0 57-6 steak.. Beef, shoulder, roast... Veal, roast 2 " 19.6 24.6 26.0 29.6 34.2 32.4 34-2 43-4 53-2 46-6 48-4 31-2 30-0 30-0 28-4 29-6 31-8 31-4 10.0 11.3 12.8 15.7 18.0 17.6 19.8 24.3 27.6 26.5 28-7 18.9 18.4 18.5 17.7 18-6 19-9 19-7 11.8 12-2 16.8 19-1 20.9 20.9 24.3 29-7 35.2 33-0 35-2 24-6 26.9 26-6 27-6 28-6 29-3 29-2 12.2 13.1 18.0 19.5 20.0 19.8 23.4 32.5 37.3 36.6 41.7 28.1 27.9 25.9 24.6 28.7 30.8 29-8 21.8 25.0 34.4 35.2 37.6 36-2 42-6 59.8 70.0 70.6 73.4 53.2 51.8 50.4 46.2 53-8 56-6 55-8 15-4 17.8 24.5 24-7 26-4 26-2 30.6 44.1 51.4 53-7 58.5 43.4 40.9 38-6 33.8 41.7 44.4 43.5 26-2 28-2 40-6 38-4 36.8 36.4 45.0 64.8 74.2 79.2 73.8 46-0 45.8 46.2 46.4 49-6 49.0 48.0 25-7 30-0 33.3 33.7 40.3 42.6 50-1 58.1 67.1 74-7 81-7 59.4 51.6 52.0 54.1 57-2 49-8 56-1 20.2 23.4 28.4 28-1 32-5 34-6 41-3 50-7 58-5 65.0 70-3 52.0 43.7 44.0 45-6 48-7 44-3 48-2 36.6 39.6 48.0 51-6 52.8 51.6 56-4 69-6 81-0 87-0 93-0 80-470-2 72-0 72-6 71-4 69-6 70-8 44.2 49.4 52-0 58.0 60-0 64-6 82-8 94-4 104-2 122-4 123-0 82-0 77-6 81-2 78-6 89-475-4 76-0 25.5 27-7 31.9 33.9 34.5 36.8 45-6 51-4 57-2 67-3 66.5 46-8 43.7 44.9 43.5 50.5 41.2 41.4 16-1 17-6 18.5 20.5 22.1 24-3 28.7 34.0 32.4 40.0 40-7 34-2 $28.5 §33-8 $28.9 $33-4 $30-6 $30-7 14-6 15.7 17.5 19.1 20-2 21-3 26-9 30-1 32.3 37.0 38.4 29.8 $28-5 $33-8828-9 $33-4 $30-6 830-7 55.5 58.5 66.0 61.5 66.0 66.0 87.0 112.5 118-5 118-5 141-0 109-5 100-5 102-0109-5 115-5 114-0114-0 25.0 28.0 33.0 32.0 38.0 34.0 54.0 65.0 69.0 66.0 75.0 51-0 44.0 43.0 51-0 51-0 53.0 53-0 18.0 19.5 21.0 22.0 24.5 23.5 27-0 33-0 41.0 38.5 40.0 29-0 27.5 28.0 30.0 29.5 29-0 29-0 10-4 10-6 10.4 11.4 13.2 11-8 13-4 18-8 25-2 28.8 33.0 19.6 $21-2 §21-0 §21-0 $21-8 §22-0§22-0 5 " 8-6 1 " 9.9 11.5 4 " ated. dium size... 9.4 10.8 12.4 13.6 15.8 22.4 32-6 33.0 22.4 22.2 17.6 17.0 17-4 16-8 16-2 15-6 16.0 7-7 11.5 12.0 12.8 12-1 13-6 16-8 23.5 26.7 28.5 21-3 22-6 18-9 19-7 20-1 20.4 19.9 9-6 9.9 11.9 13.1 12.8 13.3 16.5 19.2 24-4 26-6 18-2 19-8 17-7 15-6 15.5 15.7 15.7 21-6 22.0 24.0 23.6 32.4 30-4 37-6 42-8 49-2 51-2 64-0 39.2 36.0 48.8 39-6 31-2 31-6 31-6 10-0 9-8 10-8 11.0 14.8 14.0 17.6 19.8 22.6 23.8 30-8 18-6 17-0 23-2 19.0 15.0 15.0 15.0 8.9 9-8 9-6 8.7 8-7 9-1 9-3 9-8 10-0 8-6 8.8 8.9 9.4 9.9 9-9 2 pks 24.1 28.0 30.3 36.0 31.7 38.3 pt. 7 -7 .7 .8 -8 7 -8 -9 .9 .9 1.0 .9 .9 .9 1-0 1.0 1-0 1.0 Apples, evapor Prunes, me Sugar, granulated... Sugar, yellow.. 2 Tea, black,me dium.. Tea, green, medium.. Coffee,medium Potatoes.. Vinegar, white wine. All Foods.... $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 5.48 5.96 6.95 7.34 7.96 8.02 9-81 12-10 13-65 14-27 15-32 11-08 10-29 10-69 10-46 11-23 10-93 11-01 Starch, laundry lb. 2-9 30 31 32 33 3:2 3:34:5482 4.7 4-8 Coal,anthracite is ton 39.5 45.2 48.1 55.0 54-0 52-8 62-4 69-7 78-4 82-9 127-2 109-7 115-6 112-0 104-5 108-8 105-4 105-1 Coal, bitumin 31.1 32.3 35.0 38.7 47-3 36-3 44-2 54-9 63-6 63.3 93.8 72-6 76-8 71-5 65.2 64-4 63-3 65.1 "cd. 32-5 35-3 38.8 42.5 42.6 41.3 48.5 59.6 79.0 78.5 87-0 81-7 79-1 79-4 77-7 77-2 75.5 75-7 22.6 25.5 29-4 30-6 31-4 30-4 32-7 43-5 57-3 59-9 67-4 61-1 59-259-6 57-6 56-3 55-9 55.9 1 gal. 24.0 24.5 24-4 23-7 23-7 23-1 22.9 26-0 27-8 28-6 39-9 31-6 31-0 30-1 30-4 30-2 31.5 31.5 $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ ૐ $ $ 1.50 1.63 1-76 1.91 1.99 1-84 2-11 2.54 3.06 3.13 4-15 3.57 3.62 3.53 3.35 3.37 3-32 3.33 mo. $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 5.61 5.83 6.82 7.29 7.84 8-07 9.68 12-15 13-87 14-62 15-75 11-23 10-40 11-09 10-58 11-36 10-99 11-12 4.81 5-26 5.81 6-34 6.89 6.92 8-20 10-77 12-02 12-67 13-17 9.86 9-27 9-55 9-78 10-35 10-27 10-07 5.38 5.83 6.55 7.04 7.72 7-87 9-66 12-05 13-52 14-35 15-16 11-24 10-29 11-0010-67 11-56 10.96 11-07 5-15 5-64 6-33 6.87 7.44 7.58 9.38 11-66 13-16 13-66 14-45 10-59 9-84 9.95 9.78 10-83 10-09 10-18 5.01 5.60 6-50 7-20 7-72 7.95 10-03 12-20 13-61 14-30 15-24 10-97 10-19 10-61 10-33 11-15 11.00 11-13 5-85 6-19 7-46 7.87 8-15 8-19 9-30 11-53 13-05 13-91 15-26 10-83 9.74 10-22 9.95 10-46 10-29 10-25 6.86 6.92 7.86 8.25 9.02 8-18 9.83 11-95 13-70 14-51 15-36 10-89 9-91 10-48 10-47 10-98 10-8410-95 6.02 6.50 8.00 8.33 8.51 8-18 9-75 12.06 13-51 14-65 15-43 10-819-99 10-39 10-62 11-08 10-77 10-83 6.90 7.74 8-32 9-13 9.31 8-62 10-27 12-63 14-19 15-40 16-58 12-28 11-65 11-85 11-61 12-29 11-89 11.91 The budget is intended to show the changes in the cost of the items included, not to show the minimum cost for an average family. See Text. †December only. Kind most sold. For electric light see text. 30907-6 |