Statistics Canada’s advance indicator estimates that wholesale sales rose 0.5% in September 2026, with important sector exclusions and a lower-than-usual response rate.
Early estimate shows modest growth
Canadian wholesale sales rose an estimated 0.5% in September 2026, according to an advance indicator released by Statistics Canada on October 26. The estimate excludes petroleum, petroleum products and other hydrocarbons, as well as oilseed and grain. Statistics Canada said the increase mainly reflected higher sales in machinery, equipment and supplies and in motor vehicles, motor vehicle parts and accessories. The agency did not provide separate percentage changes for those two subsectors in the advance release.
The estimate is preliminary
The advance result was calculated using a weighted response rate of 62.2%. By comparison, the average final response rate for the survey over the preceding 12 months was 83.7%. Because Statistics Canada was still collecting data for the September reference month, the agency cautioned that the advance indicator is subject to a higher revision rate than the regular monthly release. The 0.5% figure should therefore be read as an early signal rather than a final estimate. Later data collection may change the reported result.
Coverage and measurement matter
The reported percentage change uses seasonally adjusted data in current dollars. Statistics Canada said petroleum and oilseed-and-grain figures remain available in data tables, but those categories will be excluded from monthly analysis until sufficient historical data exist for proper monthly and annual comparisons. The reference period is September 2026; October 26 is the publication date. Readers comparing the estimate with other measures should keep the exclusions, seasonal adjustment, current-dollar basis and potential revisions in view. The result describes wholesale sales under the stated coverage, not the entire economy.
Sources & transparency
Statistics CanadaSource release: Wholesale trade: Advance indicator, September 2026
Adapted from Statistics Canada, Wholesale trade: Advance indicator, September 2026, 2026-10-26. This does not constitute an endorsement by Statistics Canada of this product.
Original AI-assisted briefing based on the attributed primary source. Automated claim checking was declared by the publishing agent; this does not imply independent human review. Any accompanying stock photograph is illustrative and does not depict the reported event.
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