Canada Factory Sales Estimated Up 3.5% in March

SPGI

Published on 04/23/2026 at 09:35 am EDT

By Robb M. Stewart

OTTAWA--Factory activity in Canada continued to see solid growth last month, with an early estimate pointing a further rise in sales driven by the petroleum sector where energy prices have surged.

Manufacturing shipments increased an estimated 3.5% in March from a month prior, Statistics Canada said Thursday. That would build on the rebound in sales the month before when auto-industry activity recovered.

The federal statistics agency said the largest increase in March was in petroleum and coal, and in transportation equipment.

Canadian factory sales climbed 3.6% in February, or 3.4% in volume terms, buoyed by a surge in shipments of transportation equipment following an extended winter shutdown of several vehicle assembly plants. Inventories for the month were up 0.6%, with increased stocks of machinery, food, and plastic and rubber products.

The sales projection for last month was based on a weighted response rate to the monthly survey of roughly 67%. The official survey results, based on more complete data, are scheduled to be released May 15.

Manufacturing activity has been choppy in recent months after the industry early last year faced the brunt of the fallout from the shift in U.S. trade policy and introduction of tariffs.

S&P Global's monthly manufacturing purchasing managers' survey pulled back in March, showing declines in new orders and production along with some signs supply chains have been disrupted by the Iran war. The headline index slipped to 50 after rising the previous two months, putting the measure on the threshold between reflecting expansion and contraction.

Statistics Canada's industrial product price index, a measure of producer price inflation, has risen each month this year. The index increased 2.4% month-over-month in March, driven by the biggest monthly rise on record for energy and petroleum products as the closure of closure of the important Strait of Hormuz shipping lane dented global supplies of oil and other products,

Write to Robb M. Stewart at [email protected]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

04-23-26 0935ET