LBM, garden products drive core retail sales

Retail sales increased 3.2 percent to $58.9 billion in January, StatCan reports. The increase was led by higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers as sales at new car dealers rebounded following a decline in December 2021. Core retail sales, which exclude auto and fuel categories, increased 2.9 percent, led by an 8.9 percent rise in sales of LBM and garden materials. Overall, sales were up in nine of 11 subsectors, representing 85.5 percent of retail trade.