According to Statistics Canada, real gross domestic product (GDP) edged down 0.1 percent in August, after being essentially unchanged in July. Declines in manufacturing and mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction more than offset increases in most sectors (12 out of 20).
Following a 0.2 percent dip in July, the manufacturing sector contracted 1.0 percent in August as both durable and non-durable manufacturing declined.
The mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector was down 0.8 percent in August, declining for the third consecutive month. Mining and quarrying (except oil and gas) expanded 2.5 percent in August. Non-metallic mineral mining grew 8.6 percent, led by a 14 percent increase in potash mining. Coal mining was up 6.2 percent. Metal ore mining declined 1.9 percent as growth in copper, nickel, lead and zinc (+4.4 percent) and gold and silver ore mining (+1.7 percent) was more than offset by declines in iron ore (-11 percent) and other metal ore mining (-3.4 percent).
The construction sector declined for a second consecutive month, edging down 0.1 percent in August. The declines in July and August have only given back part of June's 1.8 percent increase. Residential construction declined 0.9 percent from decreases in work put in place on single-family dwellings. Growth in non-residential (+0.5 percent) and repair construction (+0.7 percent) was more than offset by the declines in residential and engineering and other construction activities (-0.1 percent).