In July 2024, retail sales rose 0.9% to $66.4 billion. Sales increased in seven of the nine subsectors, with auto and parts dealers posting the largest increases. Core retail sales, which exclude gas stations and auto dealers, rose 0.6% in July. Retail sales by volume also increased 1.0% in the month.
Sales at auto and parts dealers increased: The largest increase in retail sales in July 2024 was recorded at auto and parts dealers, which rose 2.2%. New car sales led the increase, up 2.3%.
Sales at other auto dealers also posted a notable increase of 5.6%. In contrast, used car sales fell 0.8%. However, this decline was offset by gains at auto parts, accessories and tire dealers, which increased 1.0%.
On the flip side, sales at gas stations and fuel retailers fell 0.6% in July. In terms of volume, gas station sales fell 1.7%.
Core Retail Sales Up: Core retail sales rose 0.6% in July, marking the second straight monthly increase. This was supported by increased sales at food and beverage retailers, which rose 0.8%, and general merchandise retailers, which also rose 0.8%.
Demand increased at supermarkets and other grocery retailers, which rose 1.2%. Specialty food retailers also increased their sales by 2.1%, and staples and vending machine operators by 0.4%.
Health and personal care retailers also reported higher sales, which rose 1.2% in July.
On the flip side, building materials, garden equipment and supplies retailers experienced the biggest drop in sales, with sales falling 1.4%.
Sales Up in Eight Provinces
Retail sales increased in eight provinces in July. The largest regional increase was in Quebec, which rose 1.5%. In the Montreal Metropolitan Area (CMA), sales increased 2.0%. In Alberta, retail sales also rose 2.0%, driven by increased sales at auto and parts dealers. On the other hand, the largest regional decline in retail sales was in Ontario, which fell 0.2%. This decrease was due to a decline in sales at food and beverage retailers. In the Toronto Metropolitan Area, sales fell 1.2%.
Retail e-commerce sales in Canada: On a seasonally adjusted basis, retail e-commerce sales in Canada increased 3.4% to $4.1 billion in July. This figure represents 6.1% of total retail trade, compared to 6.0% in June.
Advance Retail Index: Statistics Canada has provided an advance estimate for retail sales, indicating a 0.5% increase in August. It should be noted that this figure is subject to revision, given its early nature. This estimate was calculated based on responses from 52.4% of companies surveyed. The average final response rate to the survey over the past 12 months was 89.4%.
Wholesale sales up in July: Wholesale sales increased by 0.4% to $82.7 billion in July, excluding petroleum and petroleum products and other hydrocarbons, as well as oilseeds and grains.
Sales increased in four of the seven subsectors, most notably the agricultural supplies industry group in the miscellaneous subsector, and the food, beverage and tobacco sector. Wholesale sales were 1.1% higher in July compared to the same month last year. In volume terms, wholesale sales rose by 0.5% in July.
Sales increased in July led by the miscellaneous and food and beverage sectors
After a decline in June, sales in the miscellaneous subsector rose 3.0% to $10.5 billion in July. Although sales declined in four of the seven industry groups, strong growth in the agricultural supplies subsector (+9.2% to $3.5 billion) contributed to the overall subsector increase. The food, beverages and tobacco subsector also contributed to the increase, with sales rising 1.7% to $15.0 billion after two consecutive monthly declines.
All four industry groups in the subsector saw increases, led by the food industry (+1.3% to $13.3 billion). However, the increase in wholesale sales in July was revised down by a decline in the personal and household goods subsector, which fell 2.5% to $12.1 billion. Sales declined in three of the five industry groups, led by a large decline in the personal goods subsector (-2.2% to $1.0 billion). Quebec leads regional sales growth: In July, seven provinces saw increases in wholesale sales, led by Quebec (+2.0%) and Alberta (+2.0%). Ontario, by contrast, saw the largest decline, at -0.7%.
Quebec wholesale sales rose 2.0% to $14.8 billion in July, marking its fifth increase in the past seven months. Sales increases were reported in six of the seven subsectors, led by motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories (+11.5% to $1.9 billion).
Alberta also saw growth, up 2.0%, to $9.2 billion in July, after a 1.3% decline in June. Despite sales declines in most subsectors, strong growth in miscellaneous and motor vehicles had a significant impact on the overall increase. In Ontario, wholesale sales fell 0.7% to $42.7 billion in July. Upcoming Release: Retail trade data for August is scheduled for release on October 25
