Retail sales flat in August

Retail sales dipped slightly by 0.1 percent to $66.1 billion in August, according to new StatCan data. Sales were down in six of nine subsectors and were led by decreases at motor vehicle and parts dealers. Core retail sales—which exclude gasoline stations and fuel vendors and motor vehicle and parts dealers—were down 0.3 percent. Sales in LBM and garden categories were unchanged.