(OTTAWA) Restaurant and bar sales exceeded pre-pandemic levels in March for the first time, Statistics Canada said Tuesday.
Posted at 4:53 p.m.
Sales at Canadian restaurants and drinking places rose 6.5% in March from February to $6.8 billion, the agency said.
Sales increased by 35% compared to March 2021, by 62.9% compared to March 2020 and by 4.9% compared to March 2019, i.e. before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rise in restaurant and bar sales in March came as pandemic-related restrictions eased across the country.
Ontario saw the largest dollar increase, while Manitoba saw the largest percentage increase.
Restaurant food prices increased 5.4% in March 2022, compared to March 2021.