However, small business growth may have held on, as employment increased that month
Canadian small business owners in the retail sector may have seen a setback in their progress toward recovery in November, as retail sales declined that month, Statistics Canada recently reported.
Despite rising for three consecutive months, retail sales declined by 0.3 percent in November to $35.2 billion. After removing the effects of inflation - which hit a 10-month high in December - retail sales volumes decreased by 1 percent in November, representing the first decline since April 2009.
Statistics Canada cited lower winter clothing sales as a large factor in this decline, thanks to "unseasonably warm weather throughout most of Canada." As a result, sales in clothing and accessories stores experienced the largest decline since September 2002, falling by 3.6 percent.
However, sales at furniture, electronics and home furnishings stores rose by 1.1 percent, representing the largest increase in all of 2009.
Though retail sales declined in seven provinces, British Columbia experienced an increase in sales of 0.6 percent, "continuing the upward trend observed since the beginning of 2009," the report read.
However, small business growth may have persisted despite the slower sales as companies seemed to step up their hiring - Statistics Canada said in a separate report that the number of people receiving Employment Insurance benefits declined by 7,300 to reach 795,000 in November.
