Canadian retail sales rose 0.5% to $62.1 billion in December

OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 0.5 per cent to $62.1 billion in December.

The federal agency’s preliminary estimate for January suggests Canadian consumers continued spending in the new year, with early figures indicating sales increased 0.7 per cent last month.

Sales grew in seven of 11 subsectors in December, representing 75.1 per cent of retail trade.

Statistics Canada says higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers, up 3.8 per cent, and general merchandise stores, up 1.7 per cent, led the increase.

Overall core retail sales, which exclude gasoline stations and motor vehicle and parts dealers, were up 0.4 per cent in December.

In volume terms, retail sales increased 1.3 per cent in December.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2023.