About Canada - Economy and Industry
Canada's Economy ...
With a population of 30 million and a GDP forecast to exceed $830 billion in 1997, Canada is one of the world's largest economies. A
member of the G7 group of leading industrial countries, Canada enjoys an enviable standard of living, an excellent infrastructure, a
highly educated and skilled labour force as well as a well-deserved reputation as a successful trading nation. Canada's leading
industries include automobile manufacturing, pulp and paper, iron and steel work, machinery and equipment manufacturing, mining,
extraction of fossil fuels, forestry and agriculture. Canada's leading exports are automobile vehicles and parts, machinery and
equipment, high-technology products, oil, natural gas, metals, and forest and farm products.
Energy ...
The core of Canada's energy industry has traditionally been defined as the production
of petroleum, natural gas, hydroelectricity, coal and uranium, all of which
are part of Canada's resource endowment. There are also newer, and increasingly
more important components of our energy industry - energy efficient alternative
fuels and renewable energy, such as solar, wind, biomass and "small" hydro projects.
Canada's energy industry also encompasses a wide variety of other activities,
such as the transformation, transportation, distribution and refinement of energy
products. These activities include petroleum refining, petroleum and natural
gas pipelines, retail gas service stations, the transmission and distribution
of electricity, and the thermal production of electricity from various types
of fossil fuels.
Mining ...
The mining and the mineral industry is an enormous and vital contributor to
the Canadian economy, a s the following figures make clear: 3.7 percent of the
national gross domestic product (GDP) is contributed by the mining and mineral
processing industries; over 380,000 people are employed in the mining and mineral
processing industries; average weekly earnings in the mining industry are over
$1 000; 13.3 percent of total exports are provided by minerals and mineral products;
80 percent of mineral and metal production is exported; Canada is ranked second
in the world in exploration investment; and 113 Canadian communities have mining
as the major source of economic activity. Such an overview, however, does not
tell the whole story. Besides affecting our national livelihood, mining has
a direct impact on some of the most important aspects of our everyday lives.
Agriculture ...
Agriculture has been a vital force in the Canadian economy for centuries and
today remains a major contributor to Canada's trade in international markets.
In 1999, agriculture and agri-food exports surpassed $21.7 billion, a 3.51 percent
share of world agri-food trade. One of the world's leading food producers, Canada
is best known for its excellent grains, oilseeds, vegetables, meats and dairy
products. Canadian farming practices, fertilizer and feed technologies, equipment
and management techniques all contribute to Canada's abundant production of
crops and livestock. The Canadian agricultural and agri-food sector is the third
largest employer in Canada. Agriculture provided 406 900 jobs to Canadians in
1999, who represent about 1.3 percent of the country's total population and
2.8 percent of its workforce. Another 1.5 million Canadians, or 10.6 percent
of the total employment, work in food and beverage processing, food retail,
food services, and related industries in the agri-food system. All in all, the
agri-food sector generates about 8.5 percent of Canada's gross domestic product.
Transportation ...
Canada's history is closely linked to the history of transportation. One need
only look at a map to understand the various geographical obstacles posed by
the nation's landscape. Transportation has always played - and will continue
to play - a vital role in shaping Canada's future. With a population density
of approximately three persons per square kilometre, Canada's 30 million people
are scattered across an area that is nearly 10 million square kilometres in
size, stretching 5 500 kilometres from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. What
Canada and Canadians need is a safe, efficient, sustainable transportation system
that includes all modes - air, marine, road and rail.
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