Retail sales were down 5.7 percent to $54.8 billion in April, reports StatCanada. The decline coincided with the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and was the largest decline in retail sales since April 2020, during the first wave of the pandemic.
Sales at building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers were down 10.4 percent, the first decline in nine months. Despite the decline, sales remained above levels reached in February 2021. The decline comes after record sales of hardware, tools, and renovation and lawn and garden products in March, which were up almost 60 percent.
