According to Statistics Canada (StatsCan), the domestic mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction increased 1.2% in March, marking a third consecutive monthly gain. StatsCan said that Canada’s oil sands extraction (+2.0%) contributed the most to the increase, led by higher production in both crude bitumen and synthetic oil production in Alberta, following unplanned production disruptions earlier in the year. The agency added that oil and gas extraction (except oil sands) edged down 0.1% in March. Conventional crude oil declines were largely due to lower production in Newfoundland and Labrador. In the west, there ... (full story)