Statistics Canada reported a 4.2 per cent rise in manufacturing sales in April, reaching $77.1 billion, driven largely by strong gains in petroleum and coal products.
Sales in the petroleum and coal product sector surged 22.6 per cent to $11.8 billion, continuing a strong upward trend following a 25.5 per cent increase in March. The growth was supported by higher production volumes as refineries resumed operations after maintenance shutdowns.
On a constant dollar basis, total manufacturing sales increased by 1.8 per cent during April, indicating broader real-term expansion in industrial output.
In a separate update, Statistics Canada noted that wholesale sales excluding petroleum-related goods and agricultural commodities rose 0.6 per cent to $89.3 billion. The building materials and supplies sector posted a 4.3 per cent increase, while the mineral, ore, and precious metals group climbed sharply by 15.7 per cent.
However, in volume terms, adjusted wholesale sales excluding petroleum and grain-related categories declined by 0.3 per cent, suggesting mixed underlying momentum across sectors.
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