OTTAWA, May 17 (UPI) -- Motor vehicle and parts sales led to a 0.4 percent gain in Canadian wholesale activity in March for a total of $48.7 billion, Statistics Canada said Thursday.
"Sales in the motor vehicle and parts sub-sector rose 2.4 percent to $8 billion in March," the agency said.
Of the seven sub-sectors, wholesale trade was up in three, which accounted for nearly half of total sales.
"In the last 12 months, Canadian wholesalers posted nine monthly increases, which translated into a growth rate of 6 percent relative to March 2011," StatsCan said.
Among the decliners, the largest was in sales in the machinery, equipment and supplies sub-sector, which were down 1.4 percent, the report said.
Regionally, five of the 10 provinces showed wholesaling increases, led by Quebec and Ontario.
