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Retail sales increased 0.5% in current dollars to $36.1 billion in August after flat sales the previous two months. Gains were reported in 6 of 11 subsectors representing 70% of total retail sales.
In volume terms retail sales rose 0.3%.
The largest increase in dollar terms among all subsectors was registered at gasoline stations, where sales rose 2.1%, a second consecutive monthly increase.
Food and beverage stores (+0.8%) registered higher sales. Gains were reported at supermarkets (+1.2%) and convenience stores (+1.2%), while sales fell 0.8% at beer, wine and liquor stores.
Motor vehicle and parts dealers' sales increased 0.7%. Within this subsector, automotive parts, accessories and tire stores (+2.6%) and new car dealers (+1.0%) reported gains. Decreases were recorded at other motor vehicle dealers (-3.2%) and used car dealers (-0.5%) after two monthly increases.
Furniture and home furnishing stores advanced 2.1%. Sales at home furnishing stores were responsible for this increase, reporting a 7.0% gain following large fluctuations the previous two months.
Among the subsectors reporting declines, the largest percentage decrease was at sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores (-1.8%). This decline comes after two monthly increases.
All the data in this release are seasonally adjusted and in current dollars, unless otherwise noted.
Total retail sales by volume are measured by deflating values in current dollars of the various trade groups using consumer price indexes. This retail sales in chained dollars series (2002) is a chain Fisher volume index with 2002 as the reference year.
Sales decreased 0.8% in the clothing and clothing accessories stores subsector. Lower sales at jewellery, luggage and leather goods stores (-2.4%) and clothing stores (-0.9%) more than offset a 1.9% gain at shoe stores.
Sales were up in seven provinces in August. Sales rose 1.5% in Alberta following smaller increases the previous two months.
Sales rose 0.3% in Ontario following flat sales the previous two months.
The largest percentage increase was in Nova Scotia, where sales rose 3.4%. Sales have fluctuated widely since June 2010. On July 1, there was a two percentage point increase in the Harmonized Sales Tax rate in Nova Scotia.
The largest decline was in Prince Edward Island, where sales fell 0.7%.
August 2009 | July 2010r | August 2010p | July to August 2010 | August 2009 to August 2010 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seasonally adjusted | |||||
$ millions | % change | ||||
Canada | 34,863 | 35,912 | 36,079 | 0.5 | 3.5 |
Newfoundland and Labrador | 595 | 607 | 612 | 0.9 | 2.9 |
Prince Edward Island | 140 | 144 | 143 | -0.7 | 1.6 |
Nova Scotia | 1,019 | 1,026 | 1,060 | 3.4 | 4.1 |
New Brunswick | 861 | 871 | 872 | 0.0 | 1.3 |
Quebec | 7,862 | 8,111 | 8,106 | -0.1 | 3.1 |
Ontario | 12,439 | 12,797 | 12,833 | 0.3 | 3.2 |
Manitoba | 1,253 | 1,323 | 1,335 | 0.9 | 6.6 |
Saskatchewan | 1,234 | 1,245 | 1,262 | 1.4 | 2.3 |
Alberta | 4,693 | 4,881 | 4,952 | 1.5 | 5.5 |
British Columbia | 4,635 | 4,777 | 4,771 | -0.1 | 2.9 |
Yukon | 45 | 46 | 46 | 0.5 | 2.8 |
Northwest Territories | 60 | 57 | 60 | 4.4 | 0.5 |
Nunavut | 27 | 27 | 27 | -1.6 | 0.5 |
August 2009 | July 2010r | August 2010p | July to August 2010 | August 2009 to August 2010 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Seasonally adjusted | |||||
$ millions | % change | ||||
Total retail trade | 34,863 | 35,912 | 36,079 | 0.5 | 3.5 |
Total excluding motor vehicle and parts dealers | 27,323 | 28,022 | 28,132 | 0.4 | 3.0 |
Total excluding motor vehicle and parts dealers and gasoline stations | 23,766 | 24,263 | 24,295 | 0.1 | 2.2 |
Motor vehicle and parts dealers | 7,541 | 7,889 | 7,947 | 0.7 | 5.4 |
New car dealers | 5,976 | 6,316 | 6,382 | 1.0 | 6.8 |
Used car dealers | 493 | 476 | 473 | -0.5 | -4.1 |
Other motor vehicle dealers | 557 | 587 | 568 | -3.2 | 2.0 |
Automotive parts, accessories and tire stores | 514 | 510 | 524 | 2.6 | 1.9 |
Furniture and home furnishing stores | 1,212 | 1,176 | 1,201 | 2.1 | -0.9 |
Furniture stores | 798 | 775 | 772 | -0.4 | -3.2 |
Home furnishings stores | 414 | 401 | 429 | 7.0 | 3.7 |
Electronics and appliance stores | 1,122 | 1,130 | 1,137 | 0.6 | 1.3 |
Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers | 2,306 | 2,247 | 2,249 | 0.1 | -2.4 |
Food and beverage stores | 8,386 | 8,676 | 8,748 | 0.8 | 4.3 |
Supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores | 5,968 | 6,175 | 6,249 | 1.2 | 4.7 |
Convenience stores | 567 | 563 | 570 | 1.2 | 0.5 |
Specialty food stores | 382 | 408 | 412 | 1.1 | 7.9 |
Beer, wine and liquor stores | 1,470 | 1,530 | 1,518 | -0.8 | 3.3 |
Health and personal care stores | 2,582 | 2,612 | 2,602 | -0.4 | 0.8 |
Gasoline stations | 3,556 | 3,759 | 3,837 | 2.1 | 7.9 |
Clothing and clothing accessories stores | 1,945 | 2,040 | 2,024 | -0.8 | 4.1 |
Clothing stores | 1,510 | 1,594 | 1,579 | -0.9 | 4.6 |
Shoe stores | 231 | 231 | 235 | 1.9 | 1.6 |
Jewellery, luggage and leather goods stores | 204 | 215 | 210 | -2.4 | 3.1 |
Sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores | 943 | 941 | 923 | -1.8 | -2.1 |
General merchandise stores | 4,331 | 4,544 | 4,521 | -0.5 | 4.4 |
Miscellaneous store retailers | 938 | 898 | 888 | -1.0 | -5.3 |
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 August 2010 issue of Retail Trade (63-005-X, free) will be available shortly.
Data on retail trade for September will be released on November 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.