Retail trade – Sales lower in April
Retail sales decreased 2.0% in current dollars to $36.2 billion in April following a gain of similar magnitude in March. Sales decreased in 10 of 11 retail subsectors and in all provinces.
Sales in volume terms decreased 1.9% in April. Retail sales have been following an upward trend since the beginning of 2009.
There was a 4.8% decrease at motor vehicle and parts dealers in April. Within this subsector, the 5.3% decline at new car dealers was largely responsible for this decrease, reflecting a lower volume of new motor vehicles sold. There were also lower sales at other motor vehicle dealers (-6.8%) and used car dealers (-4.4%). Sales at automotive parts, accessories and tire stores (+2.3%) rose for a third consecutive month.
Clothing and clothing accessories stores saw their sales decrease 5.2% in April. This decline comes after a strong increase in March that was likely influenced by warmer than usual weather in much of Canada.
Gasoline stations sales were down 2.0% after recording increases for the previous 11 months.
Sales at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers decreased 2.0%. While monthly levels have fluctuated widely in recent months, sales of this store type have been on an upward trend since the beginning of 2009.
Food and beverage stores sales were down 0.5% in April after rising for the previous three months.
Retail sales declined for a third consecutive month at furniture and home furnishing stores, edging down 0.3% in April.
The only subsector to register a gain was electronics and appliance stores, where sales increased 0.6%.
Sales down in all provinces
Retail sales fell in all provinces in April. This reflected, in part, a decline in the number of new motor vehicles sold in all provinces, according to the New Motor Vehicles Sales Survey.
Quebec had the largest drop among the provinces in April, with sales declining 3.9% following five consecutive monthly increases. The smallest decline in retail sales was a 0.7% decrease in British Columbia.
Sales in Ontario declined 1.2% after rising for three consecutive months.
Manitoba's sales fell 1.8% following eight consecutive monthly increases, which was the longest streak of monthly increases among the provinces.
Table 1
Retail sales by province and territory
Table 1
Retail sales by province and territory
April 2009 March 2010r
April 2010p
March to April 2010 April 2009 to April 2010
Seasonally adjusted
$ millions % change
Canada 33,914 36,883 36,154 -2.0 6.6
Newfoundland and Labrador 583 639 619 -3.1 6.0
Prince Edward Island 140 152 150 -1.1 7.4
Nova Scotia 992 1,082 1,067 -1.4 7.6
New Brunswick 811 888 861 -3.1 6.1
Quebec 7,637 8,489 8,162 -3.9 6.9
Ontario 12,141 13,074 12,916 -1.2 6.4
Manitoba 1,208 1,317 1,293 -1.8 7.0
Saskatchewan 1,183 1,254 1,226 -2.3 3.6
Alberta 4,618 4,979 4,890 -1.8 5.9
British Columbia 4,478 4,875 4,841 -0.7 8.1
Yukon 43 48 46 -3.9 8.4
Northwest Territories 54 58 56 -3.8 4.1
Nunavut 28 29 28 -2.2 1.0
r
revised
p
preliminary
Note(s):
Figures may not add up to total due to rounding.