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International Trade
Canadian Economy (NAICS 11-91)
Under this topic you will find information on imports, exports and trade balance for the Canadian Economy (NAICS 11-91). The data used for this topic were obtained through Trade Data Online. Trade Data Online provides the ability to generate customized reports on Canadian and U.S. trade in goods with over 200 countries.
Exports
In this section we examine Canadian merchandise trade statistics for total exports. Total exports include all goods leaving the country (through customs) for a foreign destination. It consists of the sum of domestic exports (goods grown, produced, extracted or manufactured in Canada) and re-exports (goods that have previously entered Canada and are leaving in the same condition).
Total Exports: 2002-2012
Canadian Economy (NAICS 11-91)
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian International Merchandise Trade, 2002 to 2011.
In 2011 we see the economy take an upward turn resulting in an annual increase of 12.1% for Canadian exports. In 2011, Canadian merchandise export values increased to $447.8 billion, up from $399.3 billion in 2010. Export values had been increasing steadily between 2003 and 2008.
In 2011 a trend of diversification in Canada's export destinations continued, as reliance upon the United States was diminished. Although the United States still accounted for 73.7% of Canadian exports in 2011, this was down from 74.9% in 2010 and 87.1% in 2002.
| 2011 Rank | Country | 2011 Value in $ billions | CAGR* 2002-2011 | % Change 2010-2011 | % of 2011 Total Exports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
*Compound annual growth rate. Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian International Merchandise Trade, 2002 to 2011. |
|||||
| 1 | United States | 330.1 | -0.5% | 10.4% | 73.7% |
| 2 | United Kingdom | 18.8 | 17.4% | 14.8% | 4.2% |
| 3 | China | 16.8 | 16.9% | 27.1% | 3.8% |
| 4 | Japan | 10.7 | 2.7% | 16.0% | 2.4% |
| 5 | Mexico | 5.5 | 9.5% | 9.3% | 1.2% |
| 6 | South Korea | 5.1 | 10.9% | 37.4% | 1.0% |
| 7 | Netherlands | 4.8 | 11.7% | 46.9% | 1.1% |
| 8 | Germany | 3.9 | 3.3% | 0.1% | 0.9% |
| 9 | France | 3.1 | 4.9% | 31.1% | 0.7% |
| 10 | Hong Kong | 3.0 | 10.5% | 57.8% | 0.7% |
| Top Ten | 401.7 | 0.8% | 12.2% | 89.7% | |
| Other Countries | 46.0 | 8.7% | 11.6% | 10.3% | |
| All Countries | 447.8 | 1.4% | 12.1% | 100.0% | |
Imports
In this section we examine Canadian merchandise trade statistics for total imports. Total imports include all goods which have entered the country (Canada) by crossing territorial (customs) boundaries, whether for immediate domestic consumption or for storage in customs bonded warehouses.
Total Imports: 2002-2011
Canadian Economy (NAICS 11-91)
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian International Merchandise Trade, 2002 to 2011.
In 2011, Canadian merchandise import values increased to $446.0 billion, up 10.5% from $403.8 billion in 2010. Like exports, import values had been increasing since 2003.
As was the case with exports, imports from countries other than the United States have been on the rise in recent years, and now make up 49.5% of Canada's total imports. In 2002, non-US imports had only a 37.4% share. Imports from the United States were down 8.6%, reaching $220.9 billion in 2011.
| 2011 Rank | Country | 2011 Value in $ billions | CAGR* 2002-2011 | % Change 2010-2011 | % of 2011 Total Imports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
*Compound annual growth rate. Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian International Merchandise Trade, 2002 to 2011 |
|||||
| 1 | United States | 220.9 | 0.1% | 8.6% | 49.5% |
| 2 | China | 48.1 | 13.0% | 8.1% | 11.1% |
| 3 | Mexico | 24.6 | 7.6% | 11.1% | 5.5% |
| 4 | Japan | 13.1 | -1.8% | -2.9% | 2.9% |
| 5 | Germany | 12.8 | 4.9% | 13.3% | 2.9% |
| 6 | United Kingdom | 10.3 | 0.7% | -3.5% | 7.5% |
| 7 | South Korea | 6.6 | 3.5% | 7.5% | 1.5% |
| 8 | France | 6.6 | 3.5% | 7.5% | 1.5% |
| 9 | Algeria | 5.5 | -0.6% | 2.1% | 1.2% |
| 10 | Italy | 5.1 | 13.7% | 53.3% | 1.2% |
| Top Ten | 352.5 | 1.9% | 8.4% | 79.0% | |
| Other Countries | 93.4 | 6.9% | 19.1% | 21.0% | |
| All Countries | 446.0 | 2.8% | 10.5% | 100.0% | |
Trade Balance
In this section we examine Canada's total trade balance which is the difference between exports and imports of goods between the Canada and its international trading partners. It is calculated by subtracting total imports from total exports.
In general, if a country imports more goods than it exports, its trade balance is negative (trade deficit). If the country exports more goods than it imports, the trade balance is positive (trade surplus).
Exports, Imports and Trade Balance: 2002-2011
Canadian Economy (NAICS 11-91)
Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian International Merchandise Trade, 2002 to 2011.
During the ten years preceding 2011, Canada's total export and import values have followed similar patterns, resulting in a fairly stable trade surplus. However, in 2011 Canada recorded a trade surplus of $1.8 million, up 140.9% from a deficit of $4.5 billion in 2010.
Canada's positive trade balance is the result of a increase surplus in its trade with the United States. In 2011, this surplus was $109.2 billion, up from $95.7 billion in 2010. In 2002 the trade surplus was $126.9 billion.
In terms of trade with the rest of the world, Canada is traditionally in a deficit position. This remained the case in 2011, as Canada's trade deficit with non-US countries was $107.4 billion. This trade deficit decreased to 7.2% from $100.1 billion in 2010. In 2002 the deficit was $79.4 billion.
Important Notes on International Trade Data
The data in this section come from Statistics Canada's Canadian International Merchandise Trade Database via Industry Canada's Trade Data Online website. Data are presented on a customs basis. All dollar amounts are presented in current Canadian dollars, meaning the effects of price inflation/deflation are not factored in.
International trade statistics are disseminated by Statistics Canada on a monthly basis. Complete data for 2011 were first made available in February and are scheduled to be revised in March, April and May as well as on the quarterly release dates in August, November and February. Data for the previous two years are also revised in February.
