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Home Trade and Investment State Trade Fact Sheets 2005 Washington

Washington

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  • 108,000 Washington jobs are supported by Canada-U.S. trade
  • Total Canada–U.S. merchandise trade: $411 billion
  • Canada–U.S. trade supported 5.2 million U.S. jobs
  • Canadians enjoy their coffee, purchasing $46 million worth from Washington
  • More Washingtonians visited Canada in 2004 than there are people living in the province of Manitoba

Strong ties...
Commodities valued at $14.9 billion moved across the 49th parallel between Washington and Canada in 2004, marking an overall increase of 20% in bilateral trade. The Evergreen State sent 12% ($3.7 billion) of its total exports to Canada, its second largest export destination. The Canadians in turn sold the state $11.2 billion in goods last year.

Flying high...
The transportation sector dominated Washington’s exports to Canada in 2004, bringing $861 million to the state’s economy, and accounting for 23% of goods exported to its northern neighbor. Aircraft and related parts made up 62%, with sales to Canada of $534 million. Washington also imported aircraft parts valued at $267 million, or half of the total transportation goods purchased from Canada last year.

A powerful trade partnership...
Energy represented the most productive sector, generating $7.3 billion in cross-border trade in 2004. Washington’s leading export good to Canada—fuel oil—generated $452 million last year. In exchange, Canada sold the state $6.8 billion in energy supplies. Natural gas, the state’s leading import, was valued $5.1 billion and accounted for 34% of the total cross-border trade in 2004. Canadian crude petroleum followed distantly with sales to Washington worth $1.3 billion.

Food for thought...
Agriculture captured an essential niche in bilateral trade as Washington’s second largest export sector, generating $686 million in 2004. Fish and seafood valued at $187 million—the Evergreen State’s fourth largest export good to Canada—made up the largest share of trade in agriculture. Other farm-fresh goods Washington sold to Canada last year included fresh fruit and berries ($130 million) and cereals and cereal preparations ($77 million). In return, Canada supplied the state with $676 million in agriculture goods including $96 million in vegetables and $90 million in whole or dressed fish.

Trees for trade...
Forest products generated $1.5 billion in bilateral trade last year, an increase of $244 million from 2003. The Evergreen state sent $316 million in forest products north of the border including $146 million in paper and paperboard. In exchange, Washington purchased $1.2 billion in Canadian forest products including $448 million in softwood lumber.

Border crossing...
Cross-border visits between Washington and Canada totaled 3.1 million in 2004. 1.6 million visits by Canadians and 1.5 million visits by Washingtonians generated a total of $635 million for both regions.

Washington's Leading Exports to Canada
2004, in millions of U.S. dollars

  • Fuel oil ($452)
  • Aircraft ($439)
  • Trucks ($222)
  • Fish & seafood ($187)
  • Paper & paperboard ($146)
  • Containers ($104)
  • Aircraft parts, not including engines ($88)
  • Aluminum, including alloys ($76)
  • Steel bars & rods ($65)
  • Home furnishings ($54)

Washington's Leading Imports from Canada
2004, in millions of U.S. dollars

  • Natural gas ($5,133)
  • Crude petroleum ($1,313)
  • Softwood lumber ($448)
  • Aircraft parts, not including engines ($267)
  • Petroleum & coal products ($228)
  • Printed matter ($112)
  • Basic metal products ($105)
  • Containers ($98)
  • Vegetables ($96)
  • Fish, whole or dressed, fresh or frozen ($90)

Canada-Washington Success Stories

Washington is committed to helping their neighbors with the challenge of hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games that will be held in Vancouver BC. With Washington’s close proximity to the Games, efforts are underway to facilitate transportation on the state’s highways, airlines and passenger railways to help meet the service requirements throughout the Games. Washington is improving infrastructure including increasing lane capacity and maintenance on highways to the Canada-US border.

Horizon Air is a regional, Washington-based airline servicing predominantly the American northwest, Alberta and British Columbia. The airline operates a fleet of over 60 planes, all of which are made by the Canadian transportation manufacturer, Bombardier Inc. The Horizon Air fleet includes three Bombardier models—the Q200, Q400 and CRJ-700—making it one of the youngest and most fuel efficient fleets of any US regional airline.


Washington-Canada Facts at a Glance:

Top Three Canadian Employers
Canadian Parent companyWashington Subsidiary
SNC-Lavalin Group Inc SNC-Lavalin Constructors Inc
Extendicare Inc Extendicare Homes, Inc
Jim Pattison Group Inc Great Pacific News Company Inc

  • State jobs supported by Canada–U.S. trade: 108,000
Washington Trade
Exports to Canada$3.7 billion
Imports from Canada$11.2 billion
Bilateral trade$14.9 billion
Largest export marketJapan

Washington Tourism
Visits by Canadians1,552,000
$ spent$224 million
Visits to Canada1,530,000
$ spent$411 million

June 2005


For more information on Canada's trade with Washington, please contact:
Consulate General of Canada
412 Plaza 600, Sixth & Stewart Street
Seattle, WA 98101-1286
Phone: (206) 443-1777   •   Fax: (206) 443-9662
www.seattle.gc.ca

Sources: Merchandise trade and tourism figures are from Statistics Canada, converted at the rate of US$1.00=C$1.3015. Job numbers are based on 2001 data from a 2003 study by Trade Partnership Worldwide commissioned by the Canadian Embassy. Canada's export ranking is from the World Institute for Strategic Economic Research (WISER). All figures are in U.S. dollars. Figures may not add up due to rounding.

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Last Updated:
2005-09-21
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