Canada March Retail Sales Index Report (Text)

The following is the text of Canada’s retail sales report for March as released by Statistics Canada.

Retail sales rose 0.4% to $39.1 billion in March, more than offsetting the decline in February. Warmer than usual weather, especially in Ontario, contributed to the gains.

In volume terms, sales also rose 0.4%.

Gains were reported in 7 of 11 subsectors, representing 56% of total retail sales.

Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers rose 1.2% in March. Higher receipts at new car dealers (+0.7%) and at other motor vehicle dealers (+7.7%) accounted for most of the gain. The advance in sales at the “other motor vehicle dealers” industry followed four consecutive monthly declines. This industry includes retailers of recreational vehicles, motorcycles and boats.

Warmer than usual weather in March advanced the purchase of spring merchandise such as clothing, footwear, bicycles and lawn and garden products.

General merchandise stores registered higher sales for a third month in a row, rising 1.1% in March. Department store sales increased 1.3%, more than offsetting a decline in February. Sales at other general merchandise stores (+0.8%) were up for a fifth straight month.

Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers reported a 1.8% sales increase in March, a second consecutive monthly gain.

Clothing and clothing accessories store sales advanced 1.3%, up for a sixth month in a row. This gain mainly reflected higher sales at shoe stores (+7.2%).

Following three consecutive monthly declines, sales at sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores rose 1.9%, reflecting higher receipts at sporting goods stores.

Sales at gasoline stations declined for a fourth time in five months, falling 1.6% in March.

Food and beverage store sales were relatively unchanged from February. Increased sales at beer, wine and liquor stores offset lower sales at supermarkets and other grocery stores, convenience stores and speciality food stores.

Sales gains concentrated in Ontario

Retail sales rose in four provinces in March. Most of the gain was concentrated in Ontario (+1.2%), where sales increased for a fourth time in five months. Excluding Ontario, total retail sales were flat.

Alberta registered a 0.3% increase, partially offsetting the decline in February.

Saskatchewan retailers reported a 0.7% sales gain in March, a sixth increase in eight months.

Following two consecutive monthly declines, sales in Newfoundland and Labrador rose 0.7%.

The largest decline occurred in New Brunswick (-1.5%) where sales fell for a fourth time in five months.

Sales in British Columbia (-0.2%) and Quebec (-0.1%) edged down after increasing in February.

Note to readers

All the data in this release are seasonally adjusted and in current dollars, unless otherwise noted.

Total retail sales by volume are measured by deflating values in current dollars of the various trade groups using consumer price indexes. This retail sales in chained dollars series (2002) is a chain Fisher volume index with 2002 as the reference year.

To contact the reporter on this story: Ilan Kolet in Ottawa at ikolet@bloomberg.net

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Marco Babic at mbabic@bloomberg.net