Manufacturing Sales Experience Sharp Decline

Manufacturing sales declined 8.0% to $44.2 billion in December, reflecting almost equal decreases in both volume and price: the largest monthly percentage decline since the start of the current series in January 1992.

Statistics Canada's Monthly Survey of Manufacturing reports manufacturing sales declined 8.0% to $44.2 billion in December, reflecting almost equal decreases in both volume and price. This was the largest monthly percentage decline since the start of the current series in January 1992. Sales fell in 20 of 21 manufacturing industries. The printing and related support activities industry recorded the only increase (+0.1%) Manufacturing sales in the petroleum and coal products industry fell 18.4% to $4.4 billion. Sales have decreased by almost $3.8 billion from the peak of $8.2 billion reached in June 2008. Prince Edward Island was the only exception as all the other provinces posted lower manufacturing sales in December, ranging from a drop of 14.2% in both Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan to a 2.4% decrease in Manitoba. Ontario's manufacturing sales declined 9.2% to $20.3 billion. Decreases in transportation equipment, petroleum and coal products and primary metals accounted for nearly three-quarters of the overall provincial decline. Sales in British Columbia decreased 8.7%. The drop in sales reflected declines in the wood products, primary metals and non-metallic mineral products industries. Alberta's manufacturing sales fell 8.5% in December, on the heels of a 5.7% drop in November. Key industries which were down over the month included petroleum products, chemical products and fabricated metal products. Manufacturing sales in Quebec dropped by 5.3%, which was attributable to the petroleum and coal products industry and the primary metals industry. In the Atlantic provinces as a whole, manufacturing sales were down 8.7%, again reflecting the sizeable drop in petroleum product prices.