Wholesale sales got back on track in August thanks to the automotive sector, Statistics Canada said today.

The government agency reported sales rose 0.7%, spurred by strong demand from motor vehicle dealers keen to rebuild depleted inventories after successful employee-pricing promotions this summer.

The August increase was the sixth in seven months

Excluding the automotive sector, sales declined 0.6%.

In July, sales fell for the first time in six months.

StatsCan said wholesalers of automotive products and farm products were the only ones to post increased sales, and together they accounted for 21% of total sales.

Total sales came in at $39.92 billion, up from $39.65 billion, in July.