After dipping in March, manufacturing sales showed a healthy increase in April. PHOTO: Samuel Service Centres.
Manufacturing sales increased in seven provinces in April, led by Ontario (+0.9%) and Alberta (+2.5%). New Brunswick posted the largest decrease (-6.9%), according to Statistics Canada.
Sales in Ontario increased 0.9% to $31.0 billion in April, rebounding from a 2.5% decrease in March. Higher sales of motor vehicle parts (+8.0%) and motor vehicles (+4.6%) drove the increase. Vehicle production that was higher than the seasonal norm at a few assembly plants was the main contributor to the sales growth in the province. The motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts industry groups were also the main drivers of the increase in total manufacturing sales in Windsor (+25.0%).
In Alberta, sales were up 2.5% to $8.6 billion in April, with the petroleum and coal (+4.7%) and chemical (+2.7%) product subsectors partially rebounding from decreases observed in March. Higher prices of refined petroleum energy products (including liquid biofuels) (+2.8%) contributed to the increase. The chemical as well as the petroleum and coal product subsectors were also the main drivers of higher total manufacturing sales in Edmonton (+6.2%) in April.
Sales in New Brunswick fell for the third consecutive month, declining 6.9% to $1.9 billion in April, largely due to a 7.8% decrease in sales of non-durable products.
