Sales in 15 of 21 manufacturing industries decreased in March, accounting for about three-quarters of total sales. Durable goods industries, such as aerospace parts and products, motor vehicle parts, and primary metal products, were behind most of the losses in March.

Aerospace products and parts production pulled down results, falling 32.4 percent compared with February. A number of cancelled orders prior to March may have factored into the decrease.

Motor vehicle parts sales decreased 17.6 percent in March, as manufacturers continued to struggle with the rapidly changing needs of motor vehicle plants. However, the drop in the motor vehicle parts industry was offset by a 22.2 percent gain in motor vehicle sales, which followed sizeable gains in February. Despite these recent gains, sales by motor vehicle manufacturers remain about 50 percent below levels from a year and a half ago.

Primary metal manufacturers reported a 7.6 percent decrease in March. Sales in this sector have fallen by about 40 percent since October 2008.

Much of the decline in manufacturing sales was focused in Quebec, which accounted for more than half of the national decrease. Sales in Quebec fell by 6.1 percent to $10.5 billion, reaching their lowest level since June 2003.

In Alberta, manufacturing sales dropped five percent to $4.7 billion. A 23.1 percent decline in the machinery manufacturing industry, stemming from weakening demand for oil and gas field machinery, was a major cause of the provincial decline.

Sales in Ontario decreased 1.5 percent to $18.9 billion, following a 7.2 percent gain in February. The main contributors to March's decline were petroleum and coal products (down 9.6 percent), primary metals (down 8.1 percent) and machinery manufacturing (down 5.8 percent).

The one bright spot is in the Atlantic provinces, where manufacturing sales increased one percent. A rise in sales in the petroleum and coal products industry was largely responsible for the slight increase.

To view the full report, visit www.statcan.gc.ca.