Rolls of coiled coated steel sit at a Stelco facility in Hamilton on June 29, 2018.Peter Power/The Canadian Press
Statistics Canada says wholesale trade rose 1 per cent to $65.1-billion in September, boosted by gains in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector.
The move higher reversed a drop of 1.2 per cent in August.
Economists on average had expected an increase of 0.3 per cent, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv.
Statistics Canada says the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector reported the largest increase in dollar terms in September as sales rose 4.4 per cent to $13.9-billion.
Sales in the personal and household goods subsector rose 1 per cent to $9.6-billion in September.
Wholesale sales increased 0.9 per cent in volume terms.
Your time is valuable. Have the Top Business Headlines newsletter conveniently delivered to your inbox in the morning or evening. Sign up today.