Canada's cost of living up 2.6 percent OTTAWA, March 23 (UPI) -- Prices for gasoline and electricity helped drive Canada's overall cost of living up 2.6 percent on an annual basis in February, Statistics Canada said Friday. Prices rose in seven of the eight major Consumer Price Index components in February on the heels of a 2.5 percent rise in January. Gas prices were 8.9 percent higher than a year earlier and electricity cost 8.7 percent more, the report said. Overall food prices were 4.1 percent higher. Within that component, prices for meat rose 7.1 percent and bread prices were up by 7.2 percent in February, StatsCan said. Transportation costs were also higher, largely because of gas prices, but car insurance, car purchase prices and airline travel costs were also higher, the agency said. The CPI rose in all 10 provinces and was at or above the national average in the east and lower in the west, the report said.