Sales increased by 0.4% in July
BCREA
Canadian retail sales increased by 0.4% in July to $51.5 billion, driven largely by new auto sales. Retail sales were up in 6 of 11 sub-sectors, representing 71% of sales. In July, 6 of 10 provinces reported an increase in retail sales with the highest gain reported in Ontario (1.2%), while weaker sales were reported in Quebec (-0.4%) and in B.C. (-0.8%).
In B.C., retail sales declined by 0.8% from the previous month to $7.1 billion. Meanwhile, Vancouver reported a 3% rise in sales. Provincial sales were up in half of the sub-sectors, largely driven by sales at gasoline stations and in health and personal care. On a year-over-year basis, B.C. retail sales were down by 0.8% in July.
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