For additional information relating to this article, please contact:
February 20, 2026RETAIL TRADE, DECEMBER AND ANNUAL 2025 Monthly (seasonally adjusted, December 2025 vs November 2025)
In Nova Scotia retail trade declined 1.5% to $1.89 billion. Nationally, retail trade fell 0.4% to $70.01 billion. Seven provinces reported declining retail trade, led by Newfoundland and Labrador. New Brunswick reported the fastest monthly increase in retail sales.
Year over year (December 2025 vs December 2024)
Nova Scotia retail trade increased 0.8% in December, compared to the same month last year. Nationally, retail trade edged down 0.02% year-over-year. Five provinces reported year-over-year increases in retail trade, led by New Brunswick. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the steepest year-over-year decline.
Annual (2025 vs 2024)
Nova Scotia retail trade increased 3.3% in 2025. Nationally, retail trade was up 4.0% for the year. All provinces reported annual retail trade growth, led by British Columbia. Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan reported the slowest growth rates.
In dollar terms, motor vehicles/parts ($5.859 billion), food/beverage ($4.219 billion), general merchandise ($3.103 billion) and gas stations ($3.066 billion) contributed the most to Nova Scotia's retail sales in 2025.
The largest increases in percentage terms were reported in clothing, miscellaneous retail and motor vehicles and parts stores. Gas stations and building materials/garden supply stores reported the only declines.
Trends
In recent months, Nova Scotia retail sales have been more volatile than the Canadian average (common for a smaller province).
Nova Scotia's retail sales totalled $22.52 billion in 2025, up $714.1 million from 2024.
Nova Scotia's annual retail trade growth of 3.3% in 2025 was a slight acceleration from growth rates in the previous two years.
E-Commerce
In December 2025, Canada's ecommerce sales increased 3.6% from the previous month, rising to $4.26 billion, or 6.1% of total retail sales. For 2025 as a whole, Canada's e-commerce sales amounted to $50.77 billion or 6.1% of annual retail trade.
Source: Statistics Canada. Table: 20-10-0056-01, Monthly retail trade sales by province and territory (x 1,000)