It was a third straight trade deficit for Canada, and a much bigger shortfall than the C$1.5 billion economists expected.

Canada's trade deficit in April widened to an all-time high of a whopping C$7.1 billion ($5.2 billion), data showed on Thursday, as tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump sucked out demand for Canadian goods from the United States.

Sales of vehicles made in Canada plunged by nearly 23 percent in April after President Trump imposed a 25 percent auto tariff.