Manufacturing sales down 1.7 per cent to $50B in February: Statistics Canada

OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell 1.7 per cent to $50.0 billion in February due to a drop in motor vehicle sales and reduced production of aerospace products and parts.

The federal agency says it is the fourth decrease in five months.

It adds manufacturing sales are down 6.8 per cent since their most recent high of $53.7 billion in July 2014.

Sales of motor vehicles fell 14.9 per cent to $4.2 billion in February — the lowest level since December 2012.

The agency says sales fell in 10 of 21 industries representing just over half of all Canadian manufacturing.

Statistics Canada also says sales data for January — which was originally estimated as a 1.7 per cent decline — has since been revised to a 3.0 per cent drop.