Statistics Canada announced that the country's wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) rose 0.2% to $86.5 billion in March.

The Federal agency notes that sales increased in three of the seven subsectors, representing 32.0% of total wholesale sales. The largest increase came from the motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector (+4.5% to $15.1 billion), followed by the miscellaneous subsector (+4.1% to $11.0 billion). Wholesale sales were 5.7% higher in March compared with the same month one year earlier.

Six provinces reported higher wholesale sales in March, led by Saskatchewan, and followed by Manitoba.

Saskatchewan recorded a third consecutive month of rising wholesale sales, up 10.2% to $4.0 billion in March. Gains were observed in five of the seven subsectors, with the machinery, equipment, and supplies subsector posting the largest increase (+17.9% to $1.5 billion).

Manitoba saw the second-largest increase in provincial wholesale sales, rising 5.4% to $2.1 billion in March. Sales increased in five of the seven subsectors, with the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector leading the gains (+14.3% to $498.3 million).

Ontario (-0.4% to $44.6 billion) posted a decline in wholesale sales in March, tempering the national increase. Despite the motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector (+5.5% to $10.3 billion) posting an increase in the Ontario, the decrease in sales in five of the seven subsectors resulted in an overall decrease in provincial wholesale sales.

 

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