October 15, 2026. Statistics Canada says total manufacturing sales rose 1.5% to $79.9 billion in August, helped by strength in the primary metal and chemical subsectors. Sales in the primary metal subsector gained 14% to hit a record $7.6 billion in August, helped by higher sales volumes and prices, while the chemical subsector increased 4.4% to $6.2 billion. Transportation equipment sales fell 2.6% to $12 billion. In constant dollars, total manufacturing sales were unchanged in August. In a separate report, Statistics Canada says wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons as well as oilseed and grain, fell 1.6% to $91.6 billion in August. In volume terms, wholesale sales, excluding the same categories, fell 1.8%. Statistics Canada has started including oilseed and grain as well as the petroleum and petroleum products subsector as part of wholesale trade but is excluding the data from its monthly analysis until there is enough historical data for comparison.
Author: The Canadian Press
