Retail sales climb 0.8% in March to $69.8B

Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 0.8% to $69.8 billion in March, helped by an increase in new car sales.

The agency says sales were up in six of nine subsectors it tracks, as sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers gained 4.8%, boosted by a 5.2% increase in sales at new car dealers.

Core retail sales — which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers — rose 0.2% in March.

Sales at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers rose 2.6%, while clothing, clothing accessories, shoes, jewelry, luggage and leather goods retailers also gained 2.6%.

In volume terms, overall retail sales increased 0.9% for the month.

Looking ahead, Statistics Canada says its early estimate for retail sales in April pointed to an increase of 0.5% for that month, but it cautioned the figure would be revised.

The Canadian Press

The Canadian Press is a national news agency headquartered in Toronto and founded in 1917.