B.C.’s manufacturing sector saw sales fall in April for the first time in three months, according to Statistics Canada data released Tuesday.
Total sales fell 2.5% to $2.92 billion from more than $3 billion in March.
Food manufacturing saw sales slip 3%, while computer and electronic product manufacturing in the province reported a 14.6% sales decline.
Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario also reported significant declines.
However, a 1.2% increase in sales in Quebec, a 42.6% increase in Newfoundland and an 11.1% increase in New Brunswick pushed Canada’s national sales up 0.2% to $44.5 billion from $44.4 billion.
Nationally, sales increases for primary metal, petroleum and coal product manufacturers offset the decline in the food industry. Sales gains were reported in 11 of 21 industries, representing 67.8% of total sales.
Higher prices for primary metals, petroleum and coal products were the key contributors to the increase in April.