Canadian shipping increases, Stats Can reports

Sparked by an increasing demand for high-tech electric and electronic products, six of Canada’s provinces have experienced a rise in manufacturers’ shipments, Statistics Canada has reported.

Rising for the third time in four months, shipments in August increased in 14 of the 22 major manufacturing groups-representing 66.2% of the country’s total shipments, which have grown two percent from July, 4.6% since the beginning of the year, and 8.0% higher than August last year.

Nova Scotia manufacturers experienced the largest gains, increasing shipments by 9.5%, while Prince Edward Island and Quebec followed with gains of 7.1% and 4.5% respectively. Saskatchewan, Ontario, and Alberta all showed modest increases also.

The major offsetting decline occurred in the wood industry, as prices of lumber, sawmill, and other wood products dropped 1.6% in August- weakening the demand in the North American market. Its shipments were off 2.5% in August.

However, Statistics Canada predicted that, if current industry trends persist, the electrical and electronics products industry will surpass food in the near future as the second largest manufacturing sector.

Electrical and electronic product shipments has notably grown since 1997, when the industry was rated as the fifth largest source of manufactured goods. It had then grown rapidly by 1998, and climbed into third place, just behind the food industry.