Stats Can reports growing manufacturing sector

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales rose 0.6 per cent in June to $52 billion — the fifth increase in six months.

The agency says the gain resulted from a 3.0 per cent increase in non-durable goods sales, notably by chemical, petroleum and coal products and the food industries. The machinery industry was also up in June, primarily in Alberta, reflecting higher sales of mining and oil and gas field equipment.

Statistics Canada says constant dollar sales rose 0.2 per cent in June.

The agency says higher chemical sales led the gains, while there were lower sales in the motor vehicle industry.

The agency says there were higher sales in six provinces, led by Alberta and Quebec, while Ontario had lower sales. The decrease in Ontario's June figures was caused by an 8.5% drop in motor vehicle manufacturing sales. Excluding the motor vehicle industry, sales for the province were up 0.5%.

Inventories rose 0.5 per cent to $72.2 billion in June, Statistics Canada says, the fifth increase in six months.

Unfilled orders edged down 0.3% to $89.1 billion in June, the third decrease in four months. Lower unfilled orders in the aerospace product and parts industry were responsible for the decline. In the aerospace product and parts industry, unfilled orders were down 2.0% to $47.0 billion. This  is the fourth consecutive month of decline. A 3.6% decrease in the value of the US dollar since the end of February was the primary factor causing these declines.

New orders rose 0.6% to $51.7 billion in June as a result of gains in 12 of 21 manufacturing industries.

Overall, these numbers reflect a strengthening and growing manufacturing sector.