Trade deficit up to $567 million in April: Statistics Canada says

OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says merchandise imports rose 1.2 per cent in April, while exports edged down 0.2 per cent, pushing the trade deficit with the world to $567 million from $3 million in March.

The agency says imports rose for a fourth consecutive month to a record high of $40.8 billion, led by energy products, motor vehicles and parts and metal ores and non-metallic minerals.

Exports edged down to $40.3 billion, with decreases in metal ores and non-metallic minerals, energy products and industrial machinery, equipment and parts partly offset by a large increase in metals and non-metallic mineral products.

Imports from the United States increased 1.9 per cent to a record high of $26.2 billion, while exports to the United States grew 1.8 per cent to $30.1 billion.

The trade surplus with the United States went to $3.9 billion in April from $3.8 billion in March.

Exports to countries other than the United States fell 5.6 per cent to $10.2 billion while imports from those countries were relatively unchanged in April at $14.6 billion, pushing that trade deficit to $4.4 billion from $3.8 billion.