LBM growth helps boost retail sales in August

Retail sales were up 2.1 percent to $57.2 billion in August, according to the latest StatCan data. A 2.8 percent hike in LBM and garden supply sales contributed to the increase. The biggest growth was in food and beverage stores, gasoline stations, and clothing and accessories. Sales increased in nine of 11 subsectors, representing 94.6 percent of retail trade.