StatCan: Canadian Retail Sales Rebound 1.3% in August After July's Tariff-Era Dip

Statistics Canada's advance estimate showed retail sales rose 1.3% in August 2026, rebounding from a revised -0.7% decline in July — the first monthly drop in seven months. July's $73.7 billion in total sales (-1.1% in volume terms) was dragged down by general merchandise retailers (-1.9%), which had posted a +2.5% gain in June; e-commerce sales fell 3.5% to $5.5 billion. The advance August estimate is based on responses from 57.8% of surveyed companies and will be revised; StatCan's release drew no explicit link to tariffs, but economists framed the swing as evidence Canadian consumers remain broadly resilient despite the ongoing US trade war, even as the Bank of Canada has flagged tariff-driven price pressure as an upside inflation risk.