Inventories rise across all categories of cattle and calves
On July 1, 2026, Canadian cattle, hog and sheep inventories were up compared with the same date one year earlier. Reduced slaughter and stronger international imports contributed to Canadian cattle herd growth. Canadian cattle producers held 12.1 million cattle and calves on their farms on July 1, 2026, up 3.2% from one year earlier, marking the largest year-over-year increase since 2004.
Manufacturing records first payroll employment decline since December
The number of employees receiving pay and benefits from their employer was little changed (+4,800; +0.0%) in June, following an increase of 45,000 (+0.2%) in May. In June, payroll employment increases were recorded in public administration (+10,600; +0.8%), construction (+2,000; +0.2%) and management of companies and enterprises (+900; +0.8%). In June, payroll employment in manufacturing declined by 7,200 (-0.5%), down for the first time since December 2025. Prior to this monthly decrease, payroll employment in manufacturing recorded a cumulative gain of 18,600 (+1.2%) from December 2025 to May 2026.
Source: Payroll employment, earnings and hours, and job vacancies, June 2026
Operating profit in non-financial industries increases, driven by higher energy product prices
Operating profit reported by Canadian corporations rose to $228.2 billion in the second quarter, an increase of $20.1 billion (+9.7%) from the first quarter. The increase was driven by higher energy prices due to global political tensions and supply disruptions. The oil and gas industry was the primary contributor to the increase in operating profit among non-financial industries in the second quarter, reporting a gain of $7.0 billion (+68.3%).
Source: Quarterly financial statistics for enterprises, first quarter 2026
Canada's current account balance shifts from a deficit to a surplus
Canada's current account balance (on a seasonally adjusted basis) went from a deficit of $8.3 billion in the first quarter to a surplus of $8.8 billion in the second quarter. Strong gains in goods exports (+13.1% to $232.1 billion) moved the trade in goods balance from a deficit to a large surplus and were the main contributor in the shift of the current account balance to a surplus. The main contributor to the increase in the second quarter was exports of energy products (+27.4%), particularly crude oil and bitumen.
Source: Canada's balance of international payments, second quarter 2026
Low-income, racialized and Indigenous families are less likely to participate in regular child care
Overall, 64% of children participated in regular non-parental child care in 2023, most commonly in centre-based daycare or preschool programs. However, some children were less likely to participate in regular child care, including those in low-income (47%), racialized (56%) and Indigenous (59%) families. Low-income, racialized and Indigenous families were also more likely to rely on child care provided during evenings or weekends compared with the rest of the population, which may reflect the overrepresentation of these groups in occupations involving shift work.
Drug overdoses remain Canada’s third leading cause of avoidable death
Just under one-tenth of all avoidable deaths in Canada in 2023 were attributable to a drug overdose, making it the third leading cause of avoidable death in Canada following cancer and diseases of the circulatory system such as heart disease or stroke. A small ray of hope as we mark this International Overdose Awareness Day is that drug overdose deaths have edged down since peaking in 2021. In fact, the number of Canadians who died of drug overdoses—unintentional, intentional or undetermined—edged down to 7,775 deaths in 2022 and 7,650 deaths in 2023.
Contact information
For more information, contact the Statistical Information Service (toll-free 1-800-263-1136; 514-283-8300; infostats@statcan.gc.ca) or Media Relations (statcan.mediahotline-ligneinfomedias.statcan@statcan.gc.ca).