Canadian retail sales decreased 0.8 per cent in July to $69.6 billion to partly reverse the prior month increase of 1.6 per cent. The largest decrease was noted in the food and beverage category, which saw sales fall by 1.3 per cent following the notable increase (three per cent) in the previous month. Motor vehicle and parts dealers’ sales edged up 0.2 per cent, following the similar scale of gains in June. Core retail sales, which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers, reported a 1.2 per cent decline on a seasonally adjusted basis. Matching the national pattern, B.C. sales also fell by 0.8 per cent, following a 1.6 per cent gain in June.

That said, B.C. has seen robust retail spending over the past year with a year-over-year increase of 8.2 per cent, and year-to-date growth of 7.2 per........

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