Retail sales up in Manitoba: StatsCan

November 23, 2009
Winnipeg Free Press
Written by: Murray McNeill

WINNIPEG -- Manitoba posted its second consecutive month of stronger retail sales in September, according to new Statistics Canada figures released today.

Manitoba retailers rang up $1.26 billion worth of sales for the month, the agency said, which was a 0.8 per cent increase over August's monthly total of $1.25 billion.

It was the second smallest increase among the eight provinces that recorded higher sales. Prince Edward Island led the way with a 4.1 per cent gain.

Canada saw its sales rise by one per cent to $34.9 billion from $34.6 billion in August. It was the seventh increase in nine months at the national level, with the gains spread among six of the eight retail sectors.

Although Manitoba's September sales were an improvement over the previous month, they were still down 0.4 per cent from a year earlier, the figures show. But it was the smallest decline among the seven provinces that posted weaker September-over-September numbers.

Canada's September sales were down 3.3 per cent from a year earlier.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca