Saskatchewan residents seem to have a little swagger in their step these days.
One of the most definitive measures of consumer confidence we have is the monthly tally of retail sales. It not only tracks our expenditures at stores and malls, but it is proxy for how we feel about our near- to mid-term prospects.
People who feel good about their personal outlook tend to be a bit more bullish with their spending while those who are less confident will cut back.
StatsCan released the April retail spending or sales numbers on Friday and they show Saskatchewan residents feeling especially confident. Total revenues in retail establishments rose 8.5 per cent from March. That is the biggest increase in the country and the national total was only one per cent higher. It was enough to push sales up almost six per cent compared to a year earlier.
Now, some of this can be attributed to a growing population but that is happening across the country, so we are getting the same lift as everyone. And our inflation has been lower so these increases are not about prices but rather about volume.
