Statistics Canada reports wholesale sales up in March

Bakers wearing protective masks shape and roll out loaves of bread dough at Portofino Bakery Ltd. in Saanichton, B.C., Canada

OTTAWA — Statistics Canada says wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain, rose 1.9 per cent to $89 billion in March.

The agency says the increase came as five of the seven subsectors it tracks climbed higher.

The largest increase was posted by the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector which grew 6.5 per cent to $19.5 billion, helped by a 17.9 per cent increase in the computer and communications equipment and supplies industry group.

The personal and household goods subsector also rose 0.8 per cent to $13.3 billion.

The farm product subsector, excluding oilseed and grains, fell 3.8 per cent to $1.7 billion.

In volume terms, wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain, increased 1.7 per cent in March.

Statistics Canada has started including oilseed and grain as well as the petroleum and petroleum products subsector as part of wholesale trade, but is excluding the data from its monthly analysis until there is enough historical data for comparison.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 14, 2026.