Manufacturing sales up in June

Manufacturing sales edged up 0.1 percent to $44.8 billion in June, according to Statistics Canada’s Monthly Survey of Manufacturing for June 2010. Thanks to this increase, sales have advanced in 11 of the past 13 months.

Constant dollar manufacturing sales rose 0.7 percent to $41.7 billion in June – 15.3 percent higher than in May 2009.

Sales gains were reported in nine of 21 industries, representing 50 percent of total sales. Although nine industries reported increased sales in June, these were largely offset by declines in the remaining 12 industries.

Sales rose 4.8 percent in the paper industry. Other industries reporting gains in June include furniture (up 6.4 percent), fabricated metal products (up two percent) and chemical manufacturing (up 1.2 percent).

Sales declined 2.1 percent in the food industry and 1.5 percent in the petroleum and coal products industry.

In Manitoba, a 4.8 percent sales gain reflected a rise in the province’s durable goods industries. Sales in British Columbia advanced 2.1 percent in June as a result of increases in several industries.

In Quebec, sales declined 0.2 percent, despite a 14.7 percent increase in the chemical manufacturing industry. Lower sales in food, petroleum and coal products, and the primary metals industries contributed to the provincial decrease.

Ontario (down 0.2 percent) also posted lower sales in June, with computer and electronic products, plastics and rubber products, and the chemical manufacturing industries contributing to the decline.

Sales were also down in Saskatchewan (down 1.4 percent) and Alberta (down 0.3 percent).

Sales remained unchanged for the Atlantic provinces in June. Sales increases in Prince Edward Island (up 7.1 percent) and New Brunswick (up 0.2 percent) were offset by a sales decline in Newfoundland and Labrador (down 1.6 percent) and Nova Scotia (down 0.5 percent).