OTTAWA — Inflation jumped higher in September, Statistics Canada said Tuesday, thanks largely to annual changes in gas prices and persistent pressure at the grocery store.

Annual inflation accelerated to 2.4 per cent last month, the agency said. That’s a jump of half a percentage point from 1.9 per cent in August and a tick higher than economists’ expectations.

Gasoline prices continue to fall year-over-year due mainly to the removal of the consumer carbon price, though prices at the pumps were up modestly on a monthly basis. With gas prices falling less year-over-year in September than in August, StatCan said that put some fuel in the headline inflation reading.

Consumers are meanwhile facing stubborn pressure at the grocery store. Fresh vegetable prices were up 1.9 per cent annually i

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