OTTAWA, Sept. 27 (Xinhua) -- Canada's real gross domestic product (GDP) went up 0.2 percent in July, following essentially no change in June, Statistics Canada said Friday.
Despite negative impacts from wildfires on transportation and warehousing and accommodation services, the services-producing industries grew 0.2 percent in July, driven in large part by increases in the retail trade sector, the public sector and the finance and insurance sector, the national statistical agency said.
According to the agency, wildfires impacted several industries across the country in July. Wildfires that spread through Jasper National Park and the Rocky Mountains caused suspension of traffic at the end of the month at a rail line passing through the park. This resulted in the halting of rail freight movements of certain commodities to and from key ports in Western Canada.
Additionally, several iron ore mines temporarily shut down their operations in July in response to wildfires burning in regions of Labrador and Northern Quebec, contributing to a 4.8 percent decline in iron ore mining and coinciding with a decline in iron ore carloadings, the agency said.
Accommodation services declined 2 percent in July, due in part to forest fires occurring at tourist destinations in western Canada during the summer tourist season. Activity in recreational vehicle (RV) parks and recreational camps and rooming and boarding houses was down as the occurrence of forest fires restricted or limited activity at camping grounds due to smoke and outdoor fire bans, said Statistics Canada. ■