OTTAWA -- Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales rose 1.4 per cent to $51.2 billion in February.
The agency says that's the highest sales level recorded since July 2008, the peak that was reached before the last recession began.
It says the February gain was largely attributable to higher sales in the transportation equipment industry and the petroleum and coal product industry.
Transportation equipment sales rose 4.3 per cent to $8.9 billion, while sales in the petroleum and coal product industry increased 2.9 per cent to $7.5 billion.
The gains were partly offset by lower sales in the food, computer and electronic product and wood product industries.
While seven provinces reported higher sales in February, the bulk of the gain was concentrated in Ontario.
