The Globe and Mail reports in its Tuesday edition that Statistics Canada reports that the federal government's tax holiday ending a year early raised the annual inflation rate to 2.4 per cent in December, up from an expected 2.2 per cent. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe reports that Statscan reported that Ottawa's temporary removal of GST on certain items in mid-December, 2024, led to price drops in dining, alcohol and toys the previous year, but those discounts no longer factored into annual comparisons, resulting in a higher Consumer Price Index by year-end. Restaurant meal prices rose 8.5 per cent annually, contributing to the overall price increase, said Statscan. Some grocery items, like potato chips and candy, were part of the tax holiday and also experienced price jumps in December. Grocery store prices rose 5 per cent annually, with a year-over-year increase of 4.7 per cent in November, although month-to-month prices remained broadly unchanged. The agency said the price of coffee was up more than 30 per cent in December, while the cost of fresh or frozen beef rose 16.8 per cent. December's inflation was offset by a 13.8-per-cent drop in gasoline prices due to global crude oil oversupply, said Statscan.