Statistics Canada says that manufacturing sales fell 2.8 percent in April, the largest monthly fall since October 2023, since the tariff dispute with the United States reached the industry.
The agency says that manufacturing sales have been at its lowest level since January 2022 after a second consecutive monthly fall.
Falls in sales of oil and coal products (10.9 percent), motor vehicles (8.3 percent) and primary metals (4.4 percent) promoted the decrease.
“Manufacturing sales and wholesalers were weaker than expected in April, which suggests that monthly GDP can also be checked lower in relation to its first estimate,” Andrew Grantham wrote, senior economist from CIBC Capital Markets.
While the commercial war began in March, April marked the first full month of tariffs in the United States in many sectors, particularly aimed at the Chanada’s steel, aluminum and automotive industries.
Approximately half of the manufacturers surveyed by Statistics Canada say they were being affected by tariffs somehow in April, as well as 43 percent of wholesalers.
A separate statement from Statistics Canada says that wholesale sales fell 2.3 percent in April, with the subsector of motorized parts and accessories of motorized vehicles leading the fall.
