After rising in May, retail sales in Canada slumped 0.6% in June to $40.1 billion, Statistics Canada reported August 22.
The decline follows three months of gains.
Ontario saw the steepest drop at 1.4%. A construction workers' strike in Quebec and the June flooding in Alberta contributed to the retail sales drops in those provinces.
Retail sales increased in B.C. (1.3%), Manitoba (1.8%) and Saskatchewan (1.2%), based on strong new car sales in the three western provinces.
Nationally, the largest decline was seen in sales of food and beverage. Sales at grocery stores fell 0.9%, while sales at liquor, beer and wine stores were down 2.1%.
On August 20, Statistics Canada reported that wholesale sales were down 2.8% for June.
