Statistics Canada says new vehicle sales helped power Canadian retailers to $33.9 billion in sales during the month of March.
The March figures, released Friday, marked a 0.3 per cent increase over the previous month, and the third consecutive month in which retail sales increased in 2009.
Statistics Canada said the three months of gains "have not completely offset" the sharp retail declines seen at the end of last year.
Sales of new vehicles were up 3.6 per cent in March and helped fuel to rise in overall retail sales, the statistics agency said.
This figure was lower than the 6.3 per cent increase reported in the most recent new motor vehicle sales survey, but Statistics Canada said heavy rebate incentives were the reason for this discrepancy in the figures.
Other March retail gains included:
- A 0.9 per cent increase in retail sales at food and beverage sales, also for the third consecutive month
- A 0.5 per cent increase in retail sales at pharmacies and personal care stores
- A 0.1 per cent increase in retail sales at general merchandise stores
Retail sectors which saw declines in March included:
- Furniture, home furnishings and electronics stores, whose sales dropped 0.2 per cent
- Building and outdoor home supplies stores, whose sales fell 0.6 per cent
- Clothing and accessories stores, whose sales decreased 0.5 per cent
- Miscellaneous retailers, whose sales rolled back by 0.7 per cent
In March, all but three of the provinces and territories saw retail gains over the previous month.
Manitoba, British Columbia and Alberta saw monthly retail declines of between 0.6 per cent and 1.8 per cent.
Ontario saw retail gains of 0.6 per cent and Quebec saw gains of two per cent.
Since the start of the year, Statistics Canada said sales "have been generally up or stable in all provinces except Alberta."
