The October 23 release puts sales at $74.6 billion; September’s early estimate remains provisional.
The latest release
Statistics Canada reported on October 23 that Canadian retail sales rose 1.2% in August to $74.6 billion. All nine subsectors recorded increases. Core sales, excluding gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers, increased 1.1%. Sales measured in volume terms also rose 1.2%.
A national gain with regional differences
Ontario recorded a 2.2% increase and British Columbia a 2.1% rise. Alberta sales edged down 0.1%. These are August observations, not a real-time measure of spending during election weekend.
What comes next
The agency’s advance estimate suggests September sales increased 0.7%, but that early figure is subject to revision. The scheduled September release is November 20. Readers comparing the two months should distinguish the completed August survey from September’s preliminary indicator.
Sources & transparency
Statistics CanadaOriginal CDN News coverage. Primary source checked October 24, 2026. Announcement dates and data reference periods are identified separately.
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