Updated
Updated · Statistique Canada · Aug 21
Canada Retail Sales Rise 0.6% to C$74.3 Billion as E-Commerce Jumps 9.9%
Updated
Updated · Statistique Canada · Aug 21

Canada Retail Sales Rise 0.6% to C$74.3 Billion as E-Commerce Jumps 9.9%

3 articles · Updated · Statistique Canada · Aug 21

Summary

  • C$74.3 billion in June retail sales marked a 0.6% monthly gain, with volume up 1.5% and second-quarter sales rising 2.2%.
  • Core retail sales climbed 1.2% for a second straight monthly increase, led by general merchandise retailers up 2.7% and clothing-related stores up 3.1%.
  • Motor vehicle and parts dealers rose 1.0%, helped by new car dealers, while gasoline stations and fuel vendors posted the steepest drop at 4.1% despite a 4.2% volume increase.
  • Ontario led provincial gains with a 1.6% increase and Toronto up 3.9%, while Alberta recorded the largest decline at 1.3%, driven by lower fuel sales.
  • Retail e-commerce sales surged 9.9% to C$5.7 billion, or 7.7% of total trade, as Statistics Canada's advance estimate pointed to a 0.8% sales decline in July.

Insights

With June retail sales surging but July projecting a sharp drop, is Canada's consumer resilience about to hit a brick wall?
As e-commerce unexpectedly surges to capture more market share, what digital trigger caused Canadians to suddenly shift their spending in June?
Gas station revenues plummeted despite a spike in fuel volume—are crashing prices hiding a massive shift in Canadian driving habits?