B.C.’s retail growth in September paled in comparison to the growth enjoyed in the rest of the country.
Canada-wide, sales were up 1% during the month to $38.2 billion, compared with August, Statistics Canada said November 22.
That followed a 0.6% month-over-month increase in August.
Canada has enjoyed month-over-month retail sales increases in five of the past six months. The 1% jump between August and September was the largest increase since November 2010.
B.C. retail sales, however, grew by one-fifth the rate of the rest of the country: 0.2% in September compared with August.
September sales compared with the same month in 2010 were more impressive for both B.C. and the rest of the country.
Retail sales across Canada jumped 4.2% in September compared with the same month in 2010. In B.C., the jump was 2.6% in September compared with the same month in 2010.
Economists had expected Canada’s retail sales to grow 0.5% in September compared with August.
Glen Korstrom
@GlenKorstrom