Canadian Trade Statistics by Province

Resource Rich Alberta Grows Its Trade Surplus to US$60 Billion

© Daniel Workman

Jul 2, 2008

Generating almost half of Canada’s total US$419 billion exports in 2007, the province of Ontario remains the Canadian manufacturing hub for the Great White North's international trade.

Ontario also consumed almost 60% of imports into Canada last year, and has by far the largest trade deficit of any Canadian economy.

In contrast, oil-rich Alberta’s exports are booming while that province’s trade surplus blossoms.

Canadian Exports by Province or Territory

The top 3 Canadian provinces contributed almost 80% of total exports that Canada shipped in 2007.

1. Ontario ... US$188.3 billion (45% of total Canadian exports)
2. Alberta … $77.1 billion (18.4%)
3. Quebec ... $65.1 billion (15.5%)
4. British Columbia … $30.8 billion (7.2%)
5. Saskatchewan … $18.6 billion (4.4%)
6. Manitoba … $11 billion (2.6%)
7. Newfoundland and Labrador … $10.8 billion (2.57%)
8. New Brunswick … $10.4 billion (2.5%)
9. Nova Scotia … $5.1 billion (1.2%)
10. Northwest Territories … $1.8 billion (0.42%)
11. Prince Edward Island … $668.6 million (0.18%)
12. Yukon … $21 million (0.01%)
13. Nanuvut … $5.2 million (0.001%).

Canadian Export Increases by Province or Territory

Led by Saskatchewan, 7 Canadian provinces or territories had double-digit gains in export shipments in 2007 from 2006.

1. Saskatchewan ... 28.4% increase in 2007 (up by 251% since 2003)
2. Newfoundland and Labrador ... 27.4% increase (up by 350%)
3. Northwest Territories … 23.7% increase (up by 155%)
4. Manitoba … 19.7% increase (up by 165%)
5. New Brunswick .. 13.3% increase (up by 170%)
6. Nova Scotia … 10.7% increase (up by 130%)
7. Alberta … 10.7% increase (up by 188%)
8. Ontario … 7.5% increase (up by 140%)
9. Prince Edward Island … 1.1% increase (up by 162%)
10. Quebec … 0.008% increase (up by 142%).

Canadian Export Decreases by Province or Territory

Yukon had the biggest percentage drop in export shipments in 2007. Yet that Canadian territory has experienced one of the largest rise in exports since 2003.

1. Yukon … 40% decrease (up by 619%)
2. Nanuvut … 0.09% decrease (up by 251%)
3. British Columbia … 0.021% decrease (up by 144%).

Canadian Imports by Province or Territory

Strategically located along the St. Lawrence seaway and across from the American heartland, Ontario and Quebec accounted for more than three-quarters of Canada’s total US$378 billion worth of import deliveries in 2007.

1. Ontario ... US$223.5 billion (59.1% of total Canadian imports)
2. Quebec ... $66 billion (17.5%)
3. British Columbia … $36 billion (9.5%)
4. Alberta … $17.2 billion (4.5%)
5. Manitoba … $12.2 billion (3.2%)
6. New Brunswick … $7 billion (1.84%)
7. Nova Scotia … $6.9 billion (1.83%)
8. Saskatchewan … $6.5 billion (1.7%)
9. Newfoundland and Labrador … $2.9 billion (0.8%)
10. Yukon … $89.3 million (0.02%)
11. Prince Edward Island … $50.7 million (0.01%)
12. Nanuvut … $16.4 million (0.004%)
13. Northwest Territories … $3.7 million (0.001%).

Canadian Import Increases by Province or Territory

Overall Canadian imports grew by 8.2% last year while some of the smaller Canadian regions experienced double-digit growth in demand for imported goods.

1. Yukon ... 40.7% increase in 2007 (up by 166% since 2003)
2. Nanuvut ... 16.4% increase (up by 793%)
3. Prince Edward Island … 16.2% increase (up by 360%)
4. Northwest Territories … 13.9% increase (up by 151%)
5. Saskatchewan … 13% increase (up by 171%)
6. Newfoundland and Labrador … 12.8% increase (up by 157%)
7. Manitoba … 11.7% increase (up by 323%)
8. Quebec … 9% increase (up by 177%)
9. Ontario … 8.5% increase (up by 149%)
10. Alberta … 4.2% increase (up by 188%)
11. Nova Scotia … 5% increase (up by 167%)
12. British Columbia … 5% increase (up by 161%)
13. New Brunswick … 4.8% increase (up 163%).

Trade Surpluses by Province or Territory

Oil-rich and commodity-based economies fuelled Canada’s US$40.7 billion trade surplus in 2007.

1. Alberta ... US$60 billion trade surplus (up 12.4% in 2007, 148% increase since 2003)
2. Saskatchewan ... $12.1 billion (up 38.5%, 272% increase)
3. Newfoundland and Labrador … $7.9 billion (up 33.8%, 497% increase)
4. New Brunswick … $3.5 billion (up 35.6%, 186% increase)
5. Northwest Territories … $1.7 billion (up 23.7%, 155% increase)
6. Prince Edward Island … $696.2 million (up 0.1% increase).

Trade Deficits by Province or Territory

Ontario’s industrialized economy had the largest trade deficit last year. This was principally because of a slowdown in demand from its American trade partners, particularly in the automotive sector.

1. Ontario … US$35.2 billion (up 14.2% in 2007, 233% increase since 2003)
2. British Columbia … $3.5 billion (up 66%, 425% increase)
3. Nova Scotia … $1.9 billion (down 8%, 770% increase)
4. Manitoba … $1.2 billion (down 31.2%, 61% increase)
5. Quebec … $984.9 million (down 24.7%, 88.3% decrease)
6. Yukon ... $68.3 million (up 66.2%, 136% increase)
7. Nanuvut ... $11.2 million trade deficit (up 26.5%, 1731% increase).

Sources for this Article

This article presents independent calculations and insights based on data provided by Statistics Canada as of June 29, 2008.

Calgary Alberta

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