By Laura Dhillon Kane
(Bloomberg) — Canadian retail sales kept rising ahead of an oil price shock that may divert spending away from non-essential items.
An advance estimate suggests receipts for retailers rose 0.9% in February, following January’s 1.1% increase, Statistics Canada reported Friday. The January figure missed the median projection of 1.5% in a Bloomberg survey of economists.
Together, the data point to a 1.8% expansion in the first quarter, assuming flat sales in March. That follows tepid 0.1% growth in the fourth quarter.
The data precede the Iran war, which has sent Brent soaring above $100 a barrel. Canadian consumers, already grappling with tariff uncertainty and a weakened job market, may hold off on discretionary spending as prices at the pump surge.
The statistics agency didn’t provide details for the February estimate, which is based on responses from 53.4% of companies surveyed.
In January, sales were up in six of nine sectors, led by a 2% increase at motor vehicles and parts dealers. Higher sales at new car dealers drove the expansion, while used vehicle sellers saw a decline. Excluding autos, sales rose 0.8% in January, lower than the median estimate of 1.2%.
Core retail sales, which exclude gas stations and car dealers, were up 0.9%. Sales at general merchandise retailers rose 3%, marking a fourth straight monthly increase, while sporting goods, hobby and book sellers grew 2.6%.
Food and beverage retailers saw the largest decrease with a 0.6% drop, led by supermarkets and grocery stores. In volume terms, retail sales rose 1% in January.
That month, sales rose in all 10 provinces. The largest increase in dollar terms was seen in the oil-producing province of Alberta, led by higher sales at vehicle and parts dealers.
–With assistance from Mario Baker Ramirez.
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Last modified: March 20, 2026