BC Stats Infoline
Edition: April 15-19, 2019
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Economy
Minister’s statement on trade mission
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Minister’s statement on trade mission
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Premier's statement marking one year since the Tk'emlúps te Secwépemc’s residential school findings
Services
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Infoline Highlights: Coverage for the week of April 15-19
Retail Sales - Retail sales in British Columbia were down 1.9% (seasonally adjusted) in February, reversing a boost recorded in January (+1.8%). Nationally, retail sales saw the first real sign of growth in recent months (+ 0.8% in February), having remained relatively stagnant since November.
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Food Services and Drinking Places - Receipts at food services and drinking places in B.C. continued to stall in February, inching down 0.2% (seasonally adjusted). Canadian sales were slightly higher (+0.6%), with five provinces posting increases, including Quebec (+2.0%) and Ontario (+1.1%).
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Employment Insurance - The number of British Columbians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits rose 2.7% (seasonally adjusted) in February, to 41,100. Nationally, EI beneficiaries climbed 1.0% to 441,160
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Manufacturing Sales - Manufacturing sales in B.C. dipped 1.4% (seasonally adjusted) in February. Sales of manufactured food products were higher for the second straight month (+1.1%) and sales of paper products jumped 19.1%, each helping to drive total receipts for non-durables higher (+5.9%).
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Exports - The value of B.C. origin exports climbed 1.8% in the first two months of 2019 compared to January to February 2018. Exports increased to B.C.’s largest trading partners, the United States (+7.3%) and Mainland China (+10.5%), as well as South Korea (+4.3%) and Australia (+19.9%).
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Consumer Price Index - British Columbia’s consumer price index (CPI) was 2.6% higher (unadjusted) in March 2019 than in the same month of 2018. On a monthly basis, the rate of inflation rose 0.7% from February 2019.
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- Former students are being surveyed about their educational experience and their current employment situation. For more information about BC Student Outcomes visit: http://www.outcomes.bcstats.gov.bc.ca
Follow @BCStats on Twitter

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Current Surveys
- BC Council on Admissions & Transfer Survey of Mobile Students
- BC Hydro Workforce Profile Survey
- BC Public Service Exit Survey
- BC Public Service New Job Survey
- BC Student Outcomes Survey of Apprenticeship and Trades Training Students
- BC Student Outcomes Survey of Diploma, Associate Degree and Certificate Students
- Canada-BC Job Grant Outcomes Survey
- FrontCounter BC Customer Satisfaction Survey
- Labour Market Agreement for Persons with Disabilities Outcomes Survey
- Long Term Disability (LTD) Application Process Survey
You can read more about any of these by visiting our Current and Recent Surveys page.

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Did You Know
In 2017-2018, wine sales in Canada grew 4.6% to $7.5 billion, accounting for 32.4% of total alcoholic beverage sales.
Source: Statistics Canada
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Headlines
- Manufacturing sales in B.C. slipped in February from the month before.
- B.C.'s consumer price index in March increased from March 2018.
- The value of B.C.'s exports rose in the first two months of 2019 compared to the same period in 2018.

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Released last week by BC Stats
- Consumer Price Index
- Exports
This week
- No releases
