Manufacturing sales rose 2.7% to $46.7 billion in July. Figures released this morning by Statistics Canada also show the increase follows three consecutive months of declines. More than three-quarters of the sales gains in July were in Ontario.
The agency adds, constant dollar manufacturing sales were up 2.8%.
Higher sales were reported in 15 of 21 industries, representing 74.8% of total manufacturing. The petroleum and coal products, primary metal and fabricated metal product industries led the gains.
Sales in the petroleum and coal products industry increased 6.1% in July to $6.2 billion. The gain mostly reflected higher volumes, as some refineries ramped up production following maintenance work and retooling in June.
The primary metal industry reported a 7.6% increase in sales to $4.3 billion, as production rose at some plants following maintenance shutdowns in June. Sales in the industry have advanced steadily since June 2009. Sales in July were at their highest level since October 2008.
In the fabricated metal product industry, sales increased 8.7% in July to $2.9 billion. With this latest advance, sales reached 93.3% of their all-time peak recorded in July 2008.
The miscellaneous (+24.8%) and motor vehicle (+5.5%) industries also reported higher sales in July.
Production fell 17.5% to $946 million in the aerospace product and parts industry, offsetting a portion of the gains in manufacturing sales.
The nation's number crunchers also stated that manufacturing sales were up in seven provinces in July, with Ontario, Alberta and Quebec reporting the largest provincial sales increases in dollar terms.
In Ontario, sales rose 4.7% to $21.3 billion. The rise in July was the largest single-month increase since July 2009. The transportation equipment (+6.3%), miscellaneous manufacturing (+45.8%), and petroleum and coal product (+11.6%) industries posted the largest gains.
Sales of manufactured goods in Alberta rose 3.0% in July, reflecting advances in the petroleum and coal product, chemical and fabricated metal product industries. The gains were partially offset by a 2.5% decline in the machinery industry.
Quebec manufacturers reported a 0.5% increase in sales to $11.3 billion, reflecting gains in the primary metal, fabricated metal product, petroleum and coal product, and wood product industries. The gains were mostly offset by a decline in the aerospace product and parts industry.
