Seasonally adjusted shipments from Alberta factories increased for the fifth month in a row in January 2021, up 2.9 per cent ($164.1 million) compared to December 2020.

Monthly sales were, however, still $322.2 million (5.2 per cent) shy of where they were in February 2020 before the pandemic began.

Manufacturing sales also increased nationally, rising by 3.1 per cent ($1.7 billion) in January. National sales have surpassed their pre-pandemic level, up 0.8 per cent ($462.3 million) compared to February 2020.

Alberta’s wood products sector continues to perform extremely well, with sales rising by 14.4 per cent ($76.1 million) in January compared to December.

Strong prices and shipment volumes have seen the value of wood product sales in the province  increase nine times in a row on a year-over-year basis. Sales in January 2021 were 79.5 per cent ($267.3 million) higher than 12 months earlier.

Although up compared to where things stood before the pandemic, food product sales slipped by 5.5 per cent ($76.4 million) in January 2021 compared to December 2020.

Petroleum refinery sales are the biggest hole to fill, down $450.3 million (27.7 per cent) in January 2021 compared to February 2020. 

Answer to the previous trivia question: According to William Shakespeare, before Julius Caesar was assassinated, he was warned by a soothsayer to “beware the Ides of March” (our March 15).

Today’s trivia question: What was the total value of manufacturing shipments of tobacco products in Canada last year?