Canadian manufacturing sales dropped 3.4% to $48.6 billion in December, the lowest level in three years. Longer-than-normal shutdowns at several motor vehicle plants were the primary source of the deep cut in sales.
 
Excluding the motor vehicle and parts industries, total manufacturing sales decreased a more moderate 0.8% in December.

December’s decline was the largest since August 2003, when a widespread electrical blackout and its fallout thereafter impacted much of Ontario’s production during that month.

Deep cuts in volumes manufactured
Despite ongoing strength in key price-driven industries, overall manufacturing activity decreased in four of the last five months, due in part to some significant cuts in the volume …