Value of $1 from 1990 to 2012
$1 in 1990 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $1.55 in 2012, an increase of $0.55 over 22 years. The dollar had an average inflation rate of 2.02% per year between 1990 and 2012, producing a cumulative price increase of 55.28%.
This means that prices in 2012 are 1.55 times as high as average prices since 1990, according to Statistics Canada consumer price index.
The inflation rate in 1990 was 4.78%. The inflation rate in 2012 was 1.52%. The 2012 inflation rate is lower compared to the average inflation rate of 2.22% per year between 2012 and 2025.
⌃
| Cumulative price change | 55.28% |
| Average inflation rate | 2.02% |
| Converted amount $1 base | $1.55 |
| Price difference $1 base | $0.55 |
| CPI in 1990 | 78.358 |
| CPI in 2012 | 121.675 |
| Inflation in 1990 | 4.78% |
| Inflation in 2012 | 1.52% |
| $1 in 1990 | $1.55 in 2012 |
Buying power of $1 in 1990
This chart shows a calculation of buying power equivalence for $1 in 1990 (price index tracking began in 1914).
For example, if you started with $1, you would need to end with $1.55 in order to "adjust" for inflation (sometimes refered to as "beating inflation").
When $1 is equivalent to $1.55 over time, that means that the "real value" of a single Canadian dollar decreases over time. In other words, a dollar will pay for fewer items at the store.
This effect explains how inflation erodes the value of a dollar over time. By calculating the value in 1990 dollars, the chart below shows how $1 is worth less over 22 years.
According to Statistics Canada, each of these CAD amounts below is equal in terms of what it could buy at the time:
This conversion table shows various other 1990 amounts in 2012 dollars, based on the 55.28% change in prices:
| Initial value | Equivalent value |
|---|---|
| $1 dollar in 1990 | $1.55 dollars in 2012 |
| $5 dollars in 1990 | $7.76 dollars in 2012 |
| $10 dollars in 1990 | $15.53 dollars in 2012 |
| $50 dollars in 1990 | $77.64 dollars in 2012 |
| $100 dollars in 1990 | $155.28 dollars in 2012 |
| $500 dollars in 1990 | $776.40 dollars in 2012 |
| $1,000 dollars in 1990 | $1,552.80 dollars in 2012 |
| $5,000 dollars in 1990 | $7,764.01 dollars in 2012 |
| $10,000 dollars in 1990 | $15,528.02 dollars in 2012 |
| $50,000 dollars in 1990 | $77,640.11 dollars in 2012 |
| $100,000 dollars in 1990 | $155,280.23 dollars in 2012 |
| $500,000 dollars in 1990 | $776,401.15 dollars in 2012 |
| $1,000,000 dollars in 1990 | $1,552,802.30 dollars in 2012 |
How to calculate inflation rate for $1, 1990 to 2012
Our calculations use the following inflation rate formula to calculate the change in value between 1990 and 2012:
CPI in 2012 CPI in 1990
×
1990 CAD value
=
2012 CAD value
Then plug in historical CPI values. The Canadian CPI was 78.35833333 in the year 1990 and 121.675 in 2012:
121.67578.35833333
×
$1
=
$1.55
$1 in 1990 has the same "purchasing power" or "buying power" as $1.55 in 2012.
To get the total inflation rate for the 22 years between 1990 and 2012, we use the following formula:
CPI in 2012 - CPI in 1990CPI in 1990
×
100
=
Cumulative inflation rate (22 years)
Plugging in the values to this equation, we get:
121.675 - 78.3583333378.35833333
×
100
=
55%
Data source & citation
Raw data for these calculations comes from the government of Canada's annual Consumer Price Index (CPI), established in 1914 and computed by Statistics Canada (StatCan).
You may use the following MLA citation for this page: “$1 in 1990 → 2012 | Canada Inflation Calculator.” Official Inflation Data, Alioth Finance, 8 Dec. 2025, https://www.officialdata.org/canada/inflation/1990?amount=1&endYear=2012.
Special thanks to QuickChart for their chart image API, which is used for chart downloads.
| Cumulative price change | 55.28% |
| Average inflation rate | 2.02% |
| Converted amount $1 base | $1.55 |
| Price difference $1 base | $0.55 |
| CPI in 1990 | 78.358 |
| CPI in 2012 | 121.675 |
| Inflation in 1990 | 4.78% |
| Inflation in 2012 | 1.52% |
| $1 in 1990 | $1.55 in 2012 |