After setting a record in April, wholesale trade in Alberta fell by 1.8% in May to $7.4 billion. Sales were, however, much improved compared to the early months of the pandemic, with year-over-year sales 26.0% higher than in May 2020.

Building material wholesalers saw sales fall by $106.4 million (7.2%) in May. Motor vehicle parts wholesalers and food and beverage wholesalers also lost ground in May, with sales down by $70.7 million (9.1%) and $46.0 million (2.9%), respectively.

Sales in all major wholesale categories were higher this May than the same month in 2020 and 2019.

Nationally, sales of wholesale goods rose 0.5% in May to $72.2 billion, the third consecutive monthly increase.

Answer to the previous trivia question: There were 151,912 new vehicles sold in Canada in May 2021.

Today’s trivia question: Where did the word “wholesale” come from?