Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales increased 0.5 per cent to $56.2 billion in February, boosted by higher sales in the transportation equipment industry.

The overall increase came despite rail blockades in different parts of the country and the impact of COVID-19 on global supply chains.

The agency says the impact of the blockades, along with COVID-19 disruptions in February reduced manufacturing sales by an estimated $465 million or 0.8 per cent.

Without the disruptions, total manufacturing sales would have risen by an estimated 1.3 per cent in February compared with January, it says.

Sales were up in 11 of 21 industries of the industries tracked, representing 58.4 per cent of total Canadian manufacturing.

In constant dollar terms, sales were up 0.8 per cent, indicating that a higher volume of products was sold in February.