The concluding month of 2021 revealed another robust expansion in operating conditions at Canada's manufacturing sector. Sustained increases in output, new orders and employment were recorded as well as the fastest uptick in pre-production inventories for over 11 years of data collection. There were, however, further signs that material shortages and delivery delays were constraining the sector with output growth softening and backlogs rising markedly. In addition, firms were less upbeat about their outlook for production over the coming year with sentiment falling to a five-month low. In other areas, cost pressures ... (full story)