July 15, 2026

Real gross domestic product (GDP) grew 0.5% in April, after contracting 0.1% in March, on strength in both goods-producing and services-producing industries.

Chart 1
Real gross domestic product increases in April

Goods-producing industries rose 1.2% in April, reflecting growth in most sectors and driven by mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction. Services-producing industries grew 0.3%, rising for the third month in a row, driven by growth in the public sector and transportation and warehousing. Overall, 14 of the 20 industrial sectors grew in April.

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction led the growth in April

The mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector rose 2.9% in April, the largest monthly growth rate since February 2024 (+3.2%), more than offsetting March’s 1.4% contraction. This third increase in four months was driven by increases in oil and gas extraction, along with support activities for the mining, and oil and gas extraction subsectors.

Chart 2
Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction sector leads the growth in April

Oil and gas extraction rose 3.7% in April, the largest monthly growth rate since February 2024. Leading the growth in April was a rebound in oil sands extraction. The industry expanded 6.6% in April as lower crude bitumen extraction was more than offset by higher synthetic crude oil production, which rebounded following longer than anticipated unscheduled maintenance that tempered the growth through the first three months of the year.

Oil and gas extraction (except oil sands) increased 1.1% in April, with higher natural gas and crude petroleum extraction off Canada’s Atlantic Coast contributing to the growth in the month.

Mining and quarrying (except oil and gas) edged down 0.1% in April, tempering the sector’s growth. This third consecutive monthly decrease was driven by a 2.2% contraction in metal ore mining in April, reflecting in large part a 28.3% decline in the other metal ore mining industry, as some of the facilities in Northern Saskatchewan were constrained by maintenance-related shutdowns.

Public sector grows in April, the fifth increase in the last six months

The public sector aggregate (comprising educational services, health care and social assistance, and public administration) expanded 0.4% in April, on widespread increases across all comprising sectors.

Chart 3
Federal government public administration increases in April

Public administration (+0.7%) was the largest contributor to the growth for the second consecutive month in April, with higher activity across all levels of government in the month. Federal government public administration (except defence) (+0.6%) posted its first increase in four months while defence services (+0.7%) recorded its seventh consecutive monthly increase. Health care and social assistance (+0.2%) as well as educational services (+0.4%) further added to growth in the public sector.

Manufacturing sector rebounds in April

The manufacturing sector rose 0.6% in April, driven by expansions in durable-goods manufacturing industries.

Durable goods manufacturing industries expanded 1.1% in April, more than offsetting the decline recorded in March. The machinery manufacturing subsector (+3.0%) led the rebound, on strengths in the metalworking machinery manufacturing and industrial machinery manufacturing industry groups, coinciding with higher exports of industrial machinery, equipment and parts. Wood product (+2.6%) and non-metallic mineral product (+5.9%) manufacturing further added to the growth.

Non-durable goods manufacturing was unchanged in April. Petroleum and coal product manufacturing (+5.8%) expanded for the third consecutive month in April, reflecting ramped-up production in petroleum refineries (+5.6%) and petroleum and coal product manufacturing (except petroleum refineries) (+7.5%). The increase coincided with higher exports of refined petroleum energy products in April. Fully offsetting the growth was a 6.8% contraction in chemical manufacturing.

Construction rises for the first time in five months

Following four consecutive monthly declines, the construction sector grew 0.7% in April on strengths across all subsectors.

Residential building construction (+1.3%) contributed the most to the expansion in April, reflecting increased activity in alterations and improvements and the construction of multi-unit buildings.

Non-residential building construction (+1.2%) continued its upward trajectory, expanding for the 10th straight month, driven in April by increased industrial building construction activity.

Transportation and warehousing up in April

Transportation and warehousing rose 0.9% in April, up for the second time in three months, driven in large part in the month by increases in rail transportation and pipeline transportation.

A rebound in rail transportation (+3.8%) led the increase in April, recording the largest growth since March 2025. Broad-based increases in commodity freight movements by rail helped the subsector more than recoup the previous month’s decline (-2.0%). April’s expansion was largely driven by grain and automotive carloadings, coinciding with an increase in exports of these commodities.

Pipeline transportation (+2.6%) rose in April following four consecutive monthly contractions. Crude oil and other pipeline transportation jumped 4.8%, marking its largest expansion since July 2020, as operational disruptions that slowed crude oil movement in the first quarter of 2026 eased up.

Strength in deposits and mutual fund activity fuels finance and insurance growth in April

Finance and insurance rebounded 0.4% in April, more than offsetting March’s contraction. This was the third increase in four months for the sector, driven by expansions in nearly all comprising subsectors. Banking, monetary authorities and other depository credit intermediation (+0.5%) led the growth, reflecting an increase in both deposits at chartered banks and mutual fund activity. Other finance and insurance (+0.5%) increased for the fourth consecutive month, on increased mutual fund activity in April.

Real estate and rental and leasing grows for the third month in a row

Real estate and rental and leasing expanded for the third consecutive month, rising 0.2% in April, on widespread increases across all comprising subsectors. Offices of real estate agents and brokers and activities related to real estate (+1.3%) contributed the most to the growth. The subsector’s first increase since August 2025 reflected a rise in national home resale activity, particularly in the Greater Toronto Area.

Chart 4
Main industrial sectors’ contribution to the percent change in gross domestic product in April

Advance estimate for real gross domestic product by industry for May 2026

Advance information indicates that real GDP by industry increased 0.1% in May. Increases in finance and insurance and real estate and rental and leasing were partially offset by decreases in wholesale trade and agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting. Owing to its preliminary nature, this estimate will be updated on July 31, 2026, with the release of the official GDP by industry data for May.

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