Oil and gas 'continues to lead' monthly GDP growth: StatsCan

Oil and gas extraction drove Canada's economic growth in March, accounting for more than a third of the GDP expansion across all industries.

That's according to monthly data released Thursday by Statistics Canada.

While quarterly data revealed slower-than-expected growth across the country, Statistics Canada said the month-by-month numbers show the oil and gas industry "continues to lead growth" across the 20 broad industry categories it studies.

• Economy grew at 1.3% pace to start 2018, slower than 2017 pace

Real GDP expanded by 0.29 per cent from the previous month, overall, with oil and gas extraction accounting for 0.11 percentagepoints of that growth.

Statistics Canada said the oilsands, in particular, accounted for a large part of the monthly expansion, as crude bitumen extraction in Alberta reached a record high of 8.9 million cubic metres.

Conventional oil extraction, meanwhile, was down slightly, but that was more than offset by growth in the natural gas sector.

Click or tap on the interactive graph below to see how the the oil and gas sector has affected monthly GDP growth over the past year:

Can't see the graph? Head here for a version that should work on your mobile device.

All told, GDP related to oil and gas extraction grew by 2.1 per cent in March, marking the fourth increase in the past five months.

Support activities for mining and oil and gas extraction also grew by 2.1 per cent in March, as demand increased for drilling services.

Pipeline transportationrose5.6 per centin March, as oil and gas exports to the United States grew.