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New Brunswick, along with Ontario and Newfoundland ,showed a rise in new vehicle sales for the month of April according to Statistics Canada.

This is contrary to the other provinces where the sales of new vehicles are decreasing.

A new report from Statistics Canada shows that 24.3 per cent of the new vehicles sold in April were bought in New Brunswick. Overall, in Canada, the number of vehicles sold has been declining for three months.

The total sales for April declined 2.6 per cent across the country while the sale of new passenger vehicles declined by about five per cent when compared to March.

The lower sales in the western provinces have been the driver behind the decrease.

In New Brunswick, over the past year, sales have increased by 18 per cent. Sales in the province increased by 7.5 per cent between March and April.

Last month, the Toyota dealership in Saint John recorded the highest sales in its history, said sales manager Mark Miller.

"The sales level is the highest since December of 2002. So its one of the strongest months in six years," said Mark Spritzer, an analyst with Statistics Canada.

Spritzer said he doesn't know why New Brunswick sales are suddenly the strongest in the country.

The economic boom in the province's southwest, that is coming from work on projects such as the liquefied natural gas receiving and regassification terminal being built in Saint John, may be stimulating sales.

"We see it here every day. There's a lot of people from outside the city working here now," Miller said. "With Saint John, it certainly seems to be the place t