Canadian Retail Sales Rise Slightly in June with Strong E-Commerce Growth
Retail sales in Canada increased 0.6% to C$74.3 billion ($53.67 billion) in June 2026, driven by growth across seven of nine sub-sectors according to Statistics Canada. Core retail sales—excluding gasoline stations and motor vehicle dealers—rose 1.2%, marking the second consecutive monthly increase. E-commerce saw a significant jump of 9.9% year-over-year, reaching C$5.7 billion in June. Online sales accounted for 7.7% of total retail trade compared to 7.1% in May. General merchandise and clothing retailers posted notable gains while food and beverage stores were the only core category with a decline. Motor vehicle dealers saw continued growth for the third month, but gasoline stations recorded their sharpest drop since April after four months of increases. Seven provinces reported higher retail sales in June, led by Ontario's 1.6% increase supported by general merchandise retailers and Toronto’s strong performance. Alberta was the only province with a decline due to reduced fuel station sales.
