Canadian retail sales rise 0.6% in June, e-commerce jumps 9.9%

In June 2026, Canadian retail sales increased by 0.6% to reach C$74.3 billion, according to Statistics Canada. Seven out of the nine sub-sectors experienced higher sales, with core retail sales excluding gasoline stations and motor vehicle dealers rising 1.2%, marking their second consecutive monthly increase. Online sales, or retail e-commerce, surged 9.9% to C$5.7 billion, accounting for 7.7% of total retail trade, up from 7.1% in May.

General merchandise retailers saw a 2.7% sales increase, while clothing, accessories, jewelry, leather goods, luggage, and shoe retailers experienced a 3.1% growth. Food and beverage retailers were the only category to record a decline, with sales down 0.4%. Supermarkets and grocery stores, excluding convenience retailers, saw a 0.6% decrease, following a 0.8% increase in May.

Motor vehicle and parts dealers' sales rose by 1% for the third consecutive month. Gasoline stations and fuel vendors faced the steepest decline, with sales falling 4.1% and ending a four-month sales growth period. Overall, retail sales increased by 1.5% in volume terms in June, with the second quarter retail sales growing 2.2% in volume.

Seven provinces reported higher retail sales in June, with Ontario leading at 1.6%, driven by general merchandise retailers' stronger sales. Toronto census metropolitan area recorded a 3.9% increase, while Montreal saw a 1.0% rise. Alberta experienced the largest provincial decline at 1.3%, primarily due to reduced gasoline station and fuel vendor sales. Statistics Canada's advance estimate suggests a 0.8% decrease in retail sales in July.