Statistics Canada says retail sales rose 0.9 percent to $66.4 billion in July, helped by stronger new car sales.
The agency says sales were higher in seven of the nine subsectors it tracks with sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers up 2.2 percent, boosted by a 2.3 percent increase in sales at new car dealers.
Sales at gasoline stations and fuel vendors fell 0.6 percent for the month as sales for the subsector in volume terms fell 1.7 percent.
Core retail sales—which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers—rose 0.6 percent in July.
In volume terms, Statistics Canada says retail sales increased 1.0 percent in July….