Retail sales in Canada rose 0.6% in June to $74.3 billion, Statistics Canada reported, with increases in seven of nine subsectors. General merchandise retailers led the way with a 2.7% gain, their second in a row, while clothing, shoes and accessories stores rose 3.1%. Core retail sales, which exclude gasoline and motor vehicle dealers, were up 1.2%.
The lone decline among core categories came from food and beverage retailers, down 0.4%, as supermarket sales gave back part of May's increase. Motor vehicle and parts dealers rose 1%, a third straight gain, helped by a 1.5% increase at new-car dealers that more than offset a 2.4% drop at used-car lots. Gasoline stations posted the largest fall of any subsector at 4.1%, though in volume terms fuel sales rose 4.2%.
Geographically, Ontario was the standout with a 1.6% increase, the largest in dollar terms, powered by general merchandise. Sales in the Toronto census metropolitan area jumped 3.9%. Quebec rose 0.5%, with Montréal up 1%. Alberta recorded the biggest provincial decline at 1.3%, almost entirely on lower gasoline receipts.
Online sales climbed nearly 10% in the month and now account for 7.7% of all retail trade.
E-commerce was a bright spot: seasonally adjusted online sales rose 9.9% to $5.7 billion, lifting their share of total retail to 7.7% from 7.1% in May. For the second quarter as a whole, retail sales grew 2.2% in dollar terms and 0.4% in volume.
The agency's advance estimate for July, based on responses from 56.5% of surveyed firms, indicated a 0.8% decrease. Statistics Canada noted that the figure is unofficial and will be revised when the full July data are published on September 24. Volume estimates in the release were also revised back to 2022 as part of the agency's regular annual update.