(Ottawa) Domestic wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons, as well as oilseeds and cereal grains, fell 1.1% to $81.4 billion in March.
According to Statistics Canada, the overall decline is because sales fell in three of the seven subsectors it tracks.
The motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector recorded the largest decline, with sales falling 5.8% to $13.4 billion in March.
The motor vehicle industry group fell 7% to 10.6 billion as several auto plants undertook retooling work.
As for the new and used parts industry group for motor vehicles, its sales decreased by 1.2% to total 2.7 billion.
The miscellaneous products subsector fell 5% to $10.2 billion in March, while the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector increased 1.6% to $17.9 billion.
Expressed by volume, wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products and other hydrocarbons as well as oilseeds and cereals, fell 1.2% in March.
Statistics Canada began including oilseeds and grains as well as the petroleum and petroleum products subsector in wholesale trade last year, but excludes the data from monthly analysis until there has sufficient historical data.