Statistics Canada announced on Wednesday that Canada’s merchandise trade deficit stood at CAD3.25 billion in September, widening from a revised CAD3.21-billion gap in August (originally a CAD2.45-billion shortfall). This was the highest trade gap since April.

Economists had forecast a deficit of CAD2.60 billion.

According to the report, Canada’s exports rose 1.5 percent m-o-m to CAD45.54 billion in September, led by higher exports of lumber (+23.0 percent m-o-m) and aircraft (+43.4 percent m-o-m).

Meanwhile, imports also increased by 1.5 percent m-o-m to CAD48.79 billion in September, with higher crude oil imports (+87.1 percent m-o-m) contributing the most to the overall gain.