Canada's annual inflation rate hit two per cent last month as the weaker dollar continued to drive up prices for fresh fruits and vegetables, the federal statistics agency said Friday.

Statistics Canada's January year-over-year inflation number was up from 1.6 per cent in December.

The agency's latest consumer price index found the overall cost of food was up four per cent last month compared to a year earlier -- with fresh vegetable prices up 18.2 per cent and fruits up 12.9 per cent.

A closer look at the data shows that lettuce prices last month were 17.9 per cent higher than the year before, apples were up 16.6 per cent and tomatoes up 11.9 per cent.

"Very strong indeed -- much stronger report than what we expected," Desjardins senior economist Jimmy Jean said of the headline inflation number.

"(The increase) is largely in the usual suspects these days -- fruits and vegetables."

The annual inflation rate climbed in every province last month at a time when the weaker Canadian dollar was contributing to higher costs for imported goods. The effects of the steep decline in oil prices have played a big part in pushing down the loonie.

Year-over-year prices moved upwards in every category of the index except for clothing and footwear, which saw a decrease of 0.3 per cent compared to January 2015.

Lower prices in January for items such as natural gas, fuel oil and telephone services kept downward pressure on the inflation reading, the agency said. Natural gas was down 18.6 per cent, fuel oil down 15 per cent and telephone services 2.5 per cent.

Youth Haven in Barrie provides meals for more than 20 clients every day. It's food budget is limited and what's supposed to be a weeks’ worth of fresh produce is only lasting a few days.

“If it's gone in two days, really we're left with five days of looking into the cupboards at canned soups,” says Nathan Sykes of the shelter. “Our budget is tight to go back and buy more produce is not an option.”

Food banks across the country are also feeling the pinch as donations are down and demand continues to rise.

"It's very concerning for us,” says Shawn Ballik of Orillia’s Sharing Place. “People aren't able to stretch their own dollars as far and are having to come to us."

Sharing place will serve 1,400 clients this month. Right now they have to buy all of the fruits and vegetables they offer, at least three times a week.

"Dollars don't go very far anymore and we are running a tighter budget than ever before we're projecting we're going to have to increase our spending."

Buying leafy greens like lettuce and even cauliflower are no longer an option. They're sticking to affordable starches like potatoes and trying to get more creative.

"We're looking for ways to decrease our spending on non-perishable.”

Economists say we can expect to pay these high prices for fresh food until the spring, when more local produce will make its way to grocery stores.

With files from Andy Blatchford of The Canadian Press.