Economic growth took place in both the goods and services industries as economic activity increased 0.1% in January, down from 0.4% in December, Statistics Canada said today.

The energy sector recorded a robust gain due to strong natural gas production and a rebound in oil-and-gas exploration, while construction, forestry and financial services also posted increases.

The gains were partly offset by declines in manufacturing, retail trade and in some tourism-related industries.

The energy sector advanced 1.5% in January, with natural gas production rising sharply, crude oil production falling, and oil-and-gas exploration rebounding at an 11 rate after five months of decline; electricity production posted a gain of 1.4%.

Output in the mining sector, excluding oil and natural gas, slipped 0.1%, metal mines dropped 1.9%, and non-metallic mineral mines registered a 2.4% gain.

Manufacturing output fell 1% in January while overall, non-durable goods manufacturing edged up 0.4%, durable goods retreated 1.9%, motor vehicle production tumbled 12% and motor vehicle parts production fell 2.7%.

The construction sector rose for the eighth consecutive month in January, up 0.5%, while wholesale trade edged up 0.1%.