BUSINESS NEWS: Retail Trade Data - StatsCan

Retail sales increased for a third consecutive month in February, rising 0.5% in current dollars to $36.0 billion. Higher sales at new car dealers were the main contributor to the gain.

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Retail trade

February 2010

Retail sales increased for a third consecutive month in February, rising 0.5% in current dollars to $36.0 billion. Higher sales at new car dealers were the main contributor to the gain.

Sales in volume terms increased 0.6% in February. Retail sales volumes have been following an upward trend since the beginning of 2009.
Retail sales rise in February

Sales increased in 7 of 11 retail subsectors in February. The largest contributor to the overall increase was a 2.9% gain at motor vehicle and parts dealers, where sales rose for the first time since October. Within the subsector, sales rose 3.8% at new car dealers following three consecutive monthly declines. This reflects higher sales of both passenger cars and trucks according to the New Motor Vehicle Sales Survey. Sales rose 0.8% at automotive parts, accessories and tire stores. Sales were lower for a third consecutive month at both used car dealers (-1.8%) and other motor vehicle dealers (-0.9%). Other motor vehicle dealers sell vehicles such as motor homes, motorcycles, boats and snowmobiles.

The clothing and clothing accessories stores subsector (+4.3%) saw their sales increase in February for a third consecutive month. Sales rose 5.5% at clothing stores and 1.1% at jewellery, luggage and leather goods stores, while they fell 0.7% at shoe stores. Higher clothing sales also contributed to a 1.0% gain in the general merchandise stores subsector.

Sales in the food and beverage stores subsector rose 0.5% in February, led by a 3.7% increase at beer, wine and liquor stores. This reflects higher sales of alcoholic beverages across the country in the month of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. Sales at supermarkets and other grocery stores edged down 0.1%.

Sales at gasoline stations (+0.5%) rose for a 10th consecutive month.

Retail sales were dampened by declines at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (-7.6%) and furniture and home furnishing stores (-3.5%). These declines did not offset the large gains reported in January, which was the final month of the federal government's Home Renovation Tax Credit.
Note to readers

All data in this release are seasonally adjusted and are expressed in current dollars unless otherwise specified.

Sales up in nine provinces

Retail sales rose in nine provinces in February. The largest contributor to the increase was Alberta, where sales rose 1.0%, reflecting strong sales at new car dealers.

New Brunswick had the highest growth rate among the provinces in February with a 2.5% rise in sales, followed by Nova Scotia (+1.7%), Newfoundland and Labrador (+1.5%) and Manitoba (+1.4%). Sales growth in these provinces was heavily influenced by higher sales at new car dealers.

Retail sales edged up 0.1% in British Columbia in February, where the 2010 Winter Olympic Games were held. Strong sales were reported at clothing stores and beer, wine and liquor stores. This was offset by lower sales at new car dealers and furniture stores.

SOURCE: StatsCan