Canada’s inflation rate edged down to 1.7 per cent in April, according to Statistics Canada.

The agency’s monthly report said the slowdown was driven by lower energy prices year over year.

Gasoline prices fell 18 per cent, which StatCan said was mainly due to the removal of the consumer carbon price.

Meanwhile, grocery prices grew at a faster pace, up 3.8 per cent compared to 3.2 per cent in March.

It is the third straight month that food prices have increased at a faster rate than overall inflation.

Restaurant prices were also up 3.6 per cent, a higher increase than the month before.

Prices for travel tours also helped moderate the slowdown in inflation. They were up 6.7 per cent in April, after a 4.7 per cent decline in March.

On a yearly basis, prices rose at a slower pace in nine provinces in April compared with March, with the exception of Quebec.

Atlantic Canada saw the lowest increases, with the Consumer Price Index rising 0.2 per cent in New Brunswick, 0.4 per cent in Newfoundland and Labrador, 0.6 per cent in Prince Edward Island and 1.3 per cent in Nova Scotia.

They were followed by Alberta at 1.5 per cent, Ontario at 1.6 per cent, Saskatchewan at 1.9 per cent, British Columbia at two per cent, Manitoba at 2.1 per cent and Quebec at 2.2 per cent.