Mfg sales down 2.1% in April 2015: StatsCan

Jun. 25, 2015 – Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell 2.1 per cent to $49.8 billion in April — the third decline in four months — as sales of food, aerospace products and parts, and petroleum and coal products dropped.

While sales fell in 8 of 21 industries, these industries account for nearly two-thirds of total Canadian manufacturing, it adds.

Partially offsetting the declines were increases in a majority of industries, including chemicals, computer and electronic products, and plastics and rubber products.

Economists had expected a drop of 0.5 per cent, according to Thomson Reuters.

Sales fell in every province except Manitoba in April, with nearly two-thirds of the national sales decline attributable to Quebec, where sales fell 5.4 per cent, according to the agency.

— With files from The Canadian Press