Statistics Canada announced that the country's wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) were essentially unchanged (+0.0%) in February.
The Federal agency notes that sales increased in four of the seven subsectors, led by the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector and the motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector.
On an annual basis, wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) were 1.1% lower in February compared with the same month one year earlier.
A majority of the provinces reported increases in wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain), led by Quebec. Wholesale sales in Quebec increased 1.5% to $14.9 billion in February. Increased sales were reported in five of the seven subsectors, led by the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector (+4.5% to $2.5 billion), followed by the building material and supplies subsector (+4.6% to $2.3 billion).
The second-largest provincial increase was in British Columbia, up 2.4% to $7.9 billion. Growth was reported in six out of the seven subsectors, led by the food, beverage, and tobacco subsector (+5.6% to $1.7 billion).
The major offsetting movement was a large decline in Saskatchewan, where wholesale sales fell 8.1% to $3.5 billion in February. This decrease was mainly attributed to the miscellaneous subsector, in which sales decreased 18.8% to $1.4 billion.