Statistics Canada reported Monday that manufacturing sales in Canada rose 1.9 percent in March to C$47.5 billion (US$48.8 billion), following a 1.8 percent decline in February. Even with February's decline, manufacturing sales in Q1 2011 were up 4 percent compared to Q4 2010 and were also the highest since Q3 2008.
The transportation equipment industry (up 6.3 percent month-on-month) accounted for over half the gain. Sales in the motor vehicle industry advanced 4.1 percent and sales in the machinery industry rose 4.2 percent to C$2.7 billion (US$2.7 billion).
In the fabricated metal sector, inventories increased 3.2 percent in March, as unfilled orders rose 1.8 percent. The primary metal industry had the largest increase in unfilled orders-8.4 percent.