The Canadian Statistical Agency said that manufacturing sales rose by 1.6 percent to $71.9 billion in July, supported by an increase in sales of food products, petroleum and coal products, and transportation equipment.

This increase followed a decline of 2.0 percent in June.

The agency also stated that food product sales rose by 3.1 percent to $12.4 billion in July, with the grain and oilseed milling industry group rising by 25.5 percent, partly due to the resumption of operations after maintenance shutdowns at some crushing plants.

Meanwhile, rising prices helped boost sales of petroleum and coal products by 4.6 percent to $7.5 billion, while motor vehicle sales increased by 3.5 percent to $5.8 billion in July, the highest level since May 2017. Sales of automotive parts rose by 3.5 percent to $3.3 billion.

Sales of paper products fell by 4.6 percent to $2.6 billion, as more than half of the paper product manufacturers in British Columbia were affected by the port strike in the province in July.

Meanwhile, total manufacturing sales in constant dollar values increased by 0.9 percent in July.