(Ottawa) Wholesale trade sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseeds and grains, increased 2.4% to $83.3 billion in April, Statistics Canada said Friday .
The overall increase came as sales increased in five of seven subsectors compared to the previous month.
The motor vehicles and parts and accessories subsector increased 10.2% to 14.6 billion in April, its highest level since November 2023. The most pronounced increase in this segment was observed in the motor vehicle group, with a jump of 12.4% and sales of 11.8 billion.
Meanwhile, the miscellaneous products subsector grew 5.1% to $10.6 billion in April, as sales rose in five of the seven industry groups included in the category, with agricultural supplies posting an increase. increase of 6.9%.
In terms of volumes, wholesale trade sales increased 2.0% in April.
Statistics Canada began including oilseeds and grains and the petroleum and petroleum products subsector in wholesale trade last year, but excludes the statistics from the monthly analysis until there has sufficient historical data.
In April, the majority of provinces posted increases in wholesale trade sales and the most marked increase was observed in Ontario.
In Ontario, sales increased 2.1% to $43.0 billion in April, after declining for three consecutive months. The main factor was the notable growth of 11.7% observed in the motor vehicles and parts and accessories subsector.
In Quebec, the figures remained virtually unchanged from one month to the next, at 14.8 billion. Increases were observed in particular in motor vehicles and parts and accessories and in the agricultural products segment.
The increase was 4.7% in New Brunswick, to 847 million, 2.8% in Nova Scotia, to 1.2 billion, and 9.6% in Prince Edward Island. , at 123 million.