OTTAWA - Canada's foreign trade deficit grew to $993 million in January from $652 million in December as both exports and imports fell.
Statistics Canada reports the slide was led by a sharp decline in automotive products trade.
The agency says exports slipped nine per cent to $31.7 billion while imports fell 7.9 per cent to $32.7 billion.
It says January's decline in exports was widespread but nearly half was due to automotive products, which fell for a sixth straight month.
Lower imports of automotive products and machinery and equipment accounted for nearly three-quarters of the monthly decline in January.
Exports to the United States fell 8.9 per cent to $23.3 billion, outpacing an 8.4 per cent decrease in imports.
As a result, the trade surplus with the United States shrank to $3 billion in January from $3.4 billion in December.
Exports to countries other than the United States dropped 9.3 per cent while imports decreased seven per cent. Consequently, Canada's trade deficit with countries outside the States totalled $4 billion, virtually unchanged from December.
