An oil drilling rig operates surrounded by canola and hay fields near Cremona, Alta., in 2021.Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press
Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales rose 3 per cent in March to $73.6-billion, the highest level since January last year, boosted by higher energy prices.
The agency says sales rose in nine of the 21 subsectors it tracks, led by the petroleum and coal product and transportation equipment subsectors.
Sales of petroleum and coal products rose 22.7 per cent to $9.4-billion in March, driven largely by higher prices, as sales in real terms fell 3.5 per cent.
Canadian wholesale sales rise 1.9% in March
Sales of transportation equipment rose 6 per cent to $11.4-billion, helped by a 15-per-cent gain in the motor vehicle industry group as auto production picked up in the month.
Excluding the petroleum and coal product subsector, total manufacturing sales rose 0.7 per cent in March.
In real terms, total manufacturing sales gained one per cent in March.