Bryan Yu: Why B.C.’s economic momentum is starting to fade |
Retail spending slowed into the fourth quarter, pointing to more tempered consumer demand heading into 2026 as weaker population growth has constrained spending, even as the broader economy showed resilience. Canadian retail sales fell for a second straight month by 0.2 per cent following a 0.9 per cent drop in September. The largest decline was noted at food and beverage retailers, which saw sales decline by two per cent following an increase (0.6 per cent) in the previous month. Core retail sales—which exclude gasoline stations, fuel vendors, and motor vehicle and parts dealers—were also down 0.5 per cent in October.
Patterns in B.C. have rolled back by a more severe margin after a strong start to the year. Retail spending fell for a fourth consecutive month by 0.4 per cent in October after a 1.1 per cent dip in September, reverting spending back to spring levels. That said, B.C. sales continued to outpace the national picture on both a........