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Retail sales increased for a fourth consecutive month in March, rising 2.1% in current dollars to $37.0 billion. Higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers were the main contributor to the gain.
Sales in volume terms increased 2.2% in March. Retail sales have been following an upward trend since the beginning of 2009.
Sales increased in 8 of 11 retail subsectors in March. The largest contributor to the overall increase was a 3.6% rise at motor vehicle and parts dealers. Within the subsector, the largest increase was a 5.5% rise at other motor vehicle dealers (which sell vehicles such as motor homes, motorcycles and recreational watercraft), followed by a 4.6% gain at automotive parts, accessories and tire stores. Sales rose 3.5% at new car dealers, a second consecutive monthly increase after a period of decline that began in November 2009.
Gasoline stations (+2.3%) registered a sales increase for an 11th consecutive month.
Warmer than usual weather in much of Canada in March likely influenced sales at some types of stores. Sales at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers increased 6.6%. Strong sales in this store type also benefit from the strength of the Canadian housing market.
Clothing and clothing accessories stores saw their sales increase in March for a fourth consecutive month. The 4.4% rise at this store type was the largest increase since September 2006. Sales rose 9.2% at shoe stores, 3.9% at clothing stores and 2.8% at jewellery, luggage and leather goods stores.
Sales at sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores rose 3.1%. Sales in these store types have risen in three of the previous four months.
Food and beverage stores sales edged down 0.1% in March. Following two months of strong sales at beer, wine and liquor stores, a 4.7% decline in this store type more than offset other increases in this subsector.
Retail sales declined for a second consecutive month at furniture and home furnishing stores, falling 0.9% in March. The past two monthly declines follow seven months of increases.
Sales up in all provinces
Retail sales rose in all provinces in March. Newfoundland and Labrador had the highest growth rate among the provinces in March with a 3.1% rise in sales. This was the third consecutive month where sales were up in the province.
Sales in Quebec (+2.8%) increased for a fifth consecutive month. Sales rose 2.7% in Ontario for a third consecutive monthly increase.
Note to readers
Starting with the April 21, 2010 release of February 2010 data, the presentation of results makes direct use of the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) instead of its trade group variant. For a concordance please see (concordance table).
The previous CANSIM tables 080-0014 to 080-0017 have been replaced by CANSIM tables 080-0020 and 080-0021. Data beginning in January 2004 are available in the new CANSIM tables. In addition, data for provincial and territorial totals and for Canada level totals of selected sub-sectors and industries are now available beginning in January 1991. In order to allow users to adapt to these new series, access to the new CANSIM tables will be free until June 30, 2010.
With a 1.5% increase in March, retail sales in Manitoba have been rising for eight consecutive months.
Table 1
| March 2009 | February 2010r | March 2010p | February to March 2010 | March 2009 to March 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonally adjusted | |||||
| $ millions | % change | ||||
| Total retail trade | 33,914 | 36,221 | 36,994 | 2.1 | 9.1 |
| Total excluding motor vehicle and parts dealers | 26,888 | 28,400 | 28,891 | 1.7 | 7.5 |
| Total excluding motor vehicle and parts dealers and gasoline stations | 23,587 | 24,424 | 24,822 | 1.6 | 5.2 |
| Motor vehicle and parts dealers | 7,026 | 7,821 | 8,103 | 3.6 | 15.3 |
| New car dealers | 5,522 | 6,240 | 6,461 | 3.5 | 17.0 |
| Used car dealers | 463 | 479 | 484 | 0.9 | 4.4 |
| Other motor vehicle dealers | 574 | 573 | 605 | 5.5 | 5.3 |
| Automotive parts, accessories and tire stores | 466 | 529 | 553 | 4.6 | 18.7 |
| Furniture and home furnishing stores | 1,184 | 1,255 | 1,244 | -0.9 | 5.1 |
| Furniture stores | 772 | 833 | 825 | -1.0 | 6.8 |
| Home furnishings stores | 412 | 422 | 419 | -0.7 | 1.7 |
| Electronics and appliance stores | 1,127 | 1,127 | 1,153 | 2.4 | 2.3 |
| Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers | 2,226 | 2,394 | 2,552 | 6.6 | 14.6 |
| Food and beverage stores | 8,463 | 8,586 | 8,580 | -0.1 | 1.4 |
| Supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores | 6,064 | 6,056 | 6,105 | 0.8 | 0.7 |
| Convenience stores | 554 | 581 | 583 | 0.3 | 5.2 |
| Specialty food stores | 374 | 398 | 415 | 4.3 | 11.0 |
| Beer, wine and liquor stores | 1,471 | 1,551 | 1,478 | -4.7 | 0.4 |
| Health and personal care stores | 2,500 | 2,605 | 2,667 | 2.4 | 6.7 |
| Gasoline stations | 3,301 | 3,976 | 4,069 | 2.3 | 23.3 |
| Clothing and clothing accessories stores | 1,933 | 2,049 | 2,138 | 4.4 | 10.6 |
| Clothing stores | 1,499 | 1,603 | 1,666 | 3.9 | 11.1 |
| Shoe stores | 230 | 231 | 253 | 9.2 | 9.8 |
| Jewellery, luggage and leather goods stores | 204 | 214 | 219 | 2.8 | 7.7 |
| Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores | 919 | 937 | 966 | 3.1 | 5.2 |
| General merchandise stores | 4,313 | 4,519 | 4,580 | 1.3 | 6.2 |
| Miscellaneous store retailers | 923 | 953 | 942 | -1.1 | 2.1 |
Table 2
| March 2009 | February 2010r | March 2010p | February to March 2010 | March 2009 to March 2010 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seasonally adjusted | |||||
| $ millions | % change | ||||
| Canada | 33,914 | 36,221 | 36,994 | 2.1 | 9.1 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | 582 | 627 | 646 | 3.1 | 11.0 |
| Prince Edward Island | 138 | 148 | 152 | 2.7 | 9.9 |
| Nova Scotia | 988 | 1,067 | 1,088 | 1.9 | 10.1 |
| New Brunswick | 818 | 890 | 895 | 0.5 | 9.4 |
| Quebec | 7,689 | 8,286 | 8,522 | 2.8 | 10.8 |
| Ontario | 12,168 | 12,685 | 13,027 | 2.7 | 7.1 |
| Manitoba | 1,210 | 1,314 | 1,333 | 1.5 | 10.2 |
| Saskatchewan | 1,199 | 1,243 | 1,266 | 1.8 | 5.5 |
| Alberta | 4,606 | 4,990 | 5,063 | 1.5 | 9.9 |
| British Columbia | 4,390 | 4,839 | 4,869 | 0.6 | 10.9 |
| Yukon | 42 | 46 | 49 | 6.2 | 14.8 |
| Northwest Territories | 57 | 58 | 58 | -0.6 | 2.2 |
| Nunavut | 27 | 28 | 29 | 1.2 | 6.8 |
It is possible to consult the tables of unadjusted data by industry and by province and territory from the Tables by subject module of our website
For information on related indicators, refer to the Latest statistics page on our website.
Available on CANSIM: tables 080-0020 and 080-0021.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey numbers, including related surveys, 2406 and 2408.
The March 2010 issue of Retail Trade (63-005-X, free) will be available shortly.
Data on retail trade for April will be released on June 23.
For more information, or to order data, contact Client Services (613-951-3549; toll-free 1-877-421-3067; retailinfo@statcan.gc.ca). For analytical information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Jake W. Purdy (613-951-0984), Distributive Trades Division.
