Statistics Canada announced that manufacturing sales increased 0.7% to $71.6 billion in February, on elevated sales in 13 of 21 subsectors, mainly driven by higher sales of petroleum and coal (+4.3%) as well as electrical equipment, appliance and component (+12.6%) products. Meanwhile, the chemical subsector (-5.5%) recorded the largest decline.

The Federal Agency notes that manufacturing sales increased in five provinces in February, led by Quebec and followed by Alberta. Sales in Saskatchewan saw the largest decline.

Sales in Quebec increased 3.0% to $18.0 billion in February, primarily on higher sales of electrical equipment, appliances, and components (+26.3%) as well as production of aerospace products and parts (+5.9%).

In Alberta, sales rose 4.1% to $8.8 billion in February, with the largest increases in the petroleum and coal (+9.5%) and chemical (+7.7%) subsectors, which were also the major contributors to higher manufacturing sales in Edmonton (+6.2%) in February.

Following a 3.2% increase in Saskatchewan in January, sales in the province fell 12.8% to $1.9 billion in February, largely due to lower sales of chemical products and machinery. Higher sales of petroleum and coal products partly offset the decreases. The chemical subsector was the main driver of lower total sales in Regina (-16.1%) in February.

 

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