The Daily Thursday, March 12, 2026
Press Release
March 12, 2026
Canadian international merchandise trade, January 2026
In January, Canada’s merchandise exports decreased 4.7%, while imports were down 1.1%. As a result, Canada’s merchandise trade deficit with the world widened from $1.3 billion in December to $3.6 billion in January.
Wholesale trade, January 2026
Wholesale sales fell 1.0% in January, on lower sales reported by companies in the motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector, as well as the mineral, ore and precious metals industry group.
Building permits, January 2026
In January, the total value of building permits issued in Canada increased $607.0 million (+4.8%) to $13.3 billion.
Canadian international trade in services, January 2026
Canada’s monthly international trade in services balance went from a surplus of $0.4 billion in December 2025 to a deficit of $0.1 billion in January 2026. Overall, imports of services increased 1.8% to $19.9 billion while exports decreased 1.1% to $19.8 billion.
New motor vehicle registrations, fourth quarter 2025
In 2025, there were 1,866,714 new motor vehicle registrations in Canada, a 0.7% increase from 2024. The largest year-over-year growth occurred in the second quarter (+6.0%) of 2025, while the fourth quarter saw a decline of 7.2%.
Child care arrangements of children aged 6 to 12 years, 2025
In early 2025, just over one-third (35%) of children aged 6 to 12 years attending school were in child care in Canada. Younger children aged 6 to 8 years (47%) were more likely to be in child care than those aged 9 to 10 years (33%) or 11 to 12 years (20%).
Provisional death counts, January 2024 to December 2025
Today’s release includes new and updated adjusted counts of death from the Canadian Vital Statistics Death Database, covering the period from January 6, 2024, to December 27, 2025. The Provisional Deaths in Canada Dashboard, which provides the most recent insights on mortality trends, as well as interactive data visualization tools, has been updated.
Canadian potato production, 2024 and 2025 (revised data)
Revised 2024 and 2025 data on potato production for Quebec, Prince Edward Island, and Canada are now available.
Forage seed usage, 2025
Forage seed usage data are now available for 2025.
Canadian Economic News, February 2026
The February 2026 issue of Canadian Economic News is now available.
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