Building materials and supplies sector leads November wholesale sales

Wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) grew 0.9 percent to $82.5 billion in November, says Statistics Canada. Sales increased in four of the seven subsectors, led by the motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector and the building material and supplies subsector. On an annual basis, wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) were 0.2 percent lower in November compared with the same month one year earlier. 

Sales in the building material and supplies subsector increased for the second consecutive month, up 1.8 percent to $12.3 billion in November. The increase of sales in the subsector was led by two main industry groups, the electrical, plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning equipment and supplies industry group (+3.2 percent to $4 billion) and the lumber, millwork, hardware, and other building supplies industry group (+1.9 percent to $6.1 billion). 

The increase in November was led by higher sales in British Columbia and Ontario. In addition, wholesale inventories (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) fell 1.5 percent to $127.9 billion in November. The building material and supplies subsector had a decline of -3.0 percent to $21.9 billion.