OTTAWA (Jan. 19, 2001) — Canada’s trade surplus dipped to a seasonally adjusted $4.49 billion in November from a revised $4.85 billion in October, Statistics Canada reported.

Exports rose 0.8% in November to $35.55 billion from $35.25 billion in October. November imports rose 2.2% to $31.06 billion from $30.40 billion in October.

Statistics Canada said November’s result was due to record-level purchases of industrial goods and materials. The overall increase was tempered, however, by a 4.2% decline in imports of automobile products.

On the export side, motor vehicle products remained “stable” at $8.2 billion; the 3.3% increase in passenger cars and chassis was offset in part by a 3.7% fall in parts exports. Exports of machinery and equipment was down 2.4% in November .

Much of the increases came in exports of electricity and gas.

Canada’s exports were 12.2% higher in November than a year earlier, and Canadian imports were 10.1% higher in November than in the previous year, Statistics Canada said.

Statistics Canada said Canada’s exports to the U.S. rose 1.7% in November from October, while imports from the U.S. were up 0.5% in November from October.

The U.S. accounted for 86.7% of Canada’s exports in November and supplied 73.7% of Canada’s imports, Statistics Canada said.