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OTTAWA — Canadian manufacturing sales increased 1.5 per cent to $79.9 billion in August, led by gains in primary metals and chemicals, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
The increase followed a 0.3 per cent decline in July and reflected higher sales in 12 of 21 manufacturing subsectors.
Primary metal sales jumped 14 per cent to a record $7.6 billion, while chemical sales rose 4.4 per cent to $6.2 billion.
Statistics Canada said growth in primary metals was concentrated largely in non-ferrous metal production and processing, supported by stronger demand for copper, silver and other metals used in electrification, renewable energy and advanced technologies.
Primary metal sales were up 27.8 per cent from a year earlier.
Chemical sales rebounded after falling 4.4 per cent in July. The agency said higher prices accounted for much of the increase, while basic chemical exports rose 12.7 per cent.
Transportation equipment sales moved in the opposite direction, falling 2.6 per cent to $12 billion for a second consecutive monthly decline.
Motor vehicle sales fell four per cent and motor vehicle parts declined 4.2 per cent. Statistics Canada attributed the drop in vehicle sales to weaker-than-usual seasonal activity and an extended summer shutdown at a major assembly plant.
Aerospace production fell 4.8 per cent to its lowest level since February, while exports of aircraft, engines and parts dropped 18.3 per cent.
Overall manufacturing sales were 14.2 per cent higher than in August 2025.
In constant dollars, which remove the effect of price changes, manufacturing sales were unchanged in August. The Industrial Product Price Index increased 1.3 per cent.
Sales rose in six provinces, led by Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Quebec manufacturing sales increased four per cent to a record $21 billion, driven largely by a 20.1 per cent increase in primary metal sales.
Newfoundland and Labrador posted a 58.5 per cent increase to $692 million, its highest level since May 2019. Sales in the province were 125.1 per cent higher than a year earlier.
Manufacturing inventories edged up 0.2 per cent to $127.7 billion, continuing an upward trend that began in January.
The inventory-to-sales ratio fell to 1.60 from 1.62 in July.
Unfilled orders were unchanged at $134.2 billion, while the manufacturing sector’s capacity utilization rate increased to 81.9 per cent from 80.7 per cent in July.
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