Retail Sales Fall 0.7%, First Drop Since December

Statistics Canada reported on Sept. 24, 2026 that Canadian retail sales fell 0.7% to $73.7 billion in July 2026, the first monthly decline since December 2025. Sales fell in eight of nine subsectors and in five provinces. General merchandise retailers dropped 1.9% after a 2.5% rise in June. Clothing, clothing accessories, shoes, jewelry, luggage and leather goods retailers fell 1.2%. Motor vehicle and parts dealers fell 0.8%, their first decline in four months, with new car dealers down 1.3% and used car dealers up 2.9%. Gasoline stations and fuel vendors fell 0.9%, or 3.5% in volume terms, for a second straight month. Building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers rose 0.8%, the only category to grow and their fourth consecutive monthly increase. Core retail sales excluding gasoline and motor vehicles fell 0.7%. In volume terms, retail sales fell 1.1%. Contested: none found. Outlets in the record carried the same Statistics Canada figures with no conflicting totals or disputed claims. No next-release date or further revision note appears in the record. Coverage was concentrated in center- and right-rated reports that matched the agency data on the subsector moves.