Nicknamed the Great White North, Canada exported a total US$450.7 billion worth of products around the globe in 2018. That dollar amount reflects a -5.1% drop since 2014 but a 7.1% gain from 2017 to 2018.
In addition, Canada furnished an estimated $92.9 billion worth of international services during 2018 encompassing about $21.8 billion from travel-related services. The focus of this article is on exported goods.
Given Canada’s population of 35.9 million people, its total $450.7 billion in 2018 exports translates to roughly $12,600 for every resident in that country.
Canada’s Top 10 Exports
Top 10
The following export product groups categorize the highest dollar value in Canadian global shipments during 2018. Also shown is the percentage share each export category represents in terms of overall exports from Canada.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$99.3 billion (22% of total exports)
- Vehicles: $60.5 billion (13.4%)
- Machinery including computers: $34.5 billion (7.7%)
- Gems, precious metals: $18.3 billion (4.1%)
- Wood: $14.3 billion (3.2%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $13.6 billion (3%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $13.4 billion (3%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $10.6 billion (2.4%)
- Aluminum: $10 billion (2.2%)
- Paper, paper items: $8 billion (1.8%)
Canada’s top 10 exports accounted for nearly two-thirds (62.7%) of the overall value of Canadian global shipments.
Mineral fuels including oil was the fastest-grower among Canada’s top 10 export categories, up 17.5% from 2017 to 2018 propelled by improved sales of both crude and refined petroleum oils as well as coal.
In second place for improving export sales was paper and items made from paper thanks to a 11.1% gain.
The plastics and items made from plastics category posted the third-fastest gain up 8.4%.
Two top categories depreciated year over year. Canadian exported vehicles fell -2.7% while gems and precious metals dropped -2.9%, the latter product category was weighed down by setbacks in exported gold, silver and diamonds.
Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more granular view of exported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the section Searchable List of Canada’s Most Valuable Export Products further down near the bottom of this article.
Advantages
The following types of Canadian product shipments represent positive net exports or a trade balance surplus. Investopedia defines net exports as the value of a country’s total exports minus the value of its total imports.
In a nutshell, net exports represent the amount by which foreign spending on a home country’s goods or services exceeds or lags the home country’s spending on foreign goods or services.
- Mineral fuels including oil: US$62.5 billion (Up by 14.1% since 2017)
- Wood: $11.2 billion (Up by 1.1%)
- Gems, precious metals: $9.5 billion (Up by 4.2%)
- Woodpulp: $7.1 billion (Up by 18%)
- Oil seeds: $6.4 billion (Down by -7.6%)
- Cereals: $6.2 billion (Up by 11.9%)
- Aluminum: $5.5 billion (Down by -6.7%)
- Ores, slag, ash: $4.7 billion (Up by 22.7%)
- Fertilizers: $4.1 billion (Up by 23.9%)
- Meat: $3.2 billion (Up by 5.5%)
Canada has highly positive net exports in the international trade of crude oil, petroleum gas, coal and electricity. The positive cashflows indicate Canada’s strong competitive advantages under the mineral fuels-related category.
Opportunities
Overall Canada incurred a -$9.1 billion trade deficit for 2018, down by -23.6% from the -$11.9 billion in red ink one year earlier.
Below are exports from Canada that are negative net exports or product trade balance deficits. These negative net exports reveal product categories where foreign spending on home country Canada’s goods trail Canadian importer spending on foreign products.
- Machinery including computers: US-$34.4 billion (Up by 10.5% since 2017)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: -$31.5 billion (Up by 5%)
- Vehicles: -$14.9 billion (Up by 24.6%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: -$5.6 billion (Down by -1.2%)
- Articles of iron or steel: -$5.4 billion (Up by 10.6%)
- Pharmaceuticals: -$4.7 billion (Down by -14.7%)
- Knit or crochet clothing, accessories: -$4.6 billion (Up by 3.3%)
- Fruits, nuts: -$4.1 billion (Up by 0.9%)
- Beverages, spirits, vinegar: -$4 billion (Up by 0.2%)
- Clothing, accessories (not knit or crochet): -$3.7 billion (Up by 3.4%)
Canada has highly negative net exports and therefore deep international trade deficits for products including computers spanning myriad types and sizes. Red ink under the machinery including computer category also encompasses bulldozers and similar heavy construction equipment.
These cashflow deficiencies clearly indicate Canada’s competitive disadvantages in the international machinery market including computer-related goods, but also represent key opportunities for Canada to improve its position in the global economy through targeted innovations.
Companies
Canadian Export Companies
Wikipedia lists many of the larger international trade players from Canada:
- Barrick Gold (diversified metals, mining)
- Bombardier Inc. (aerospace, transit vehicles)
- Cameco (uranium)
- Canadian Natural Resources (oil, gas)
- Encana (oil, gas)
- Magna International (automotive parts)
- Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (specialized chemicals)
- Saputo (dairy products)
- Suncor Energy (oil, gas)
According to global trade intelligence firm Zepol, the following smaller companies are also examples of leading Canadian exporters:
- Interex Forest Products (wood, strand board)
- West Fraser Mills (wood, chemical woodpulp)
- Weyerhaeuser (wood, chemical woodpulp)
Searchable List of Canada’s Most Valuable Export Products
At the more granular four-digit HTS code level, the following searchable table displays 200 of the most in-demand goods shipped from Canada during 2018. Shown beside each product label is its total export value then the percentage increase or decrease since 2017.
| Rank | Canada's Export Product | 2018 Value (US$) | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Crude oil | $66.9 billion | +23.8% |
| 2 | Cars | $41 billion | -11.8% |
| 3 | Gold (unwrought) | $12.3 billion | -7.1% |
| 4 | Processed petroleum oils | $12.2 billion | +7.7% |
| 5 | Automobile parts/accessories | $11.4 billion | +8% |
| 6 | Petroleum gases | $9.7 billion | -4.8% |
| 7 | Sawn wood | $8.2 billion | -1.2% |
| 8 | Medication mixes in dosage | $6.7 billion | +29.8% |
| 9 | Turbo-jets | $6.6 billion | +11.8% |
| 10 | Aircraft, spacecraft | $6.5 billion | +6.2% |
| 11 | Aluminum (unwrought) | $6.5 billion | +1.9% |
| 12 | Coal, solid fuels made from coal | $5.8 billion | +11.2% |
| 13 | Wheat | $5.7 billion | +12% |
| 14 | Chemical woodpulp (non-dissolving) | $5.4 billion | +21.8% |
| 15 | Potassic fertilizers | $4.9 billion | +26% |
| 16 | Ethylene polymers | $4.6 billion | +14.6% |
| 17 | Rape/colza seeds | $4.5 billion | -11.9% |
| 18 | Iron ores, concentrates | $4.1 billion | +16.6% |
| 19 | Trucks | $4 billion | +76% |
| 20 | Aircraft parts | $3.2 billion | +2.5% |
| 21 | Bread, biscuits, cakes, pastries | $2.8 billion | +15.5% |
| 22 | Copper ores, concentrates | $2.8 billion | +2.6% |
| 23 | Miscellaneous furniture | $2.8 billion | -0.4% |
| 24 | Crustaceans (including lobsters) | $2.8 billion | -0.4% |
| 25 | Rape/colza/mustard oil | $2.7 billion | +3.6% |
| 26 | Swine meat | $2.4 billion | -3.9% |
| 27 | Piston engines | $2.4 billion | +3.8% |
| 28 | Electrical energy | $2.3 billion | -0.1% |
| 29 | Soya beans | $2.2 billion | +14.8% |
| 30 | Dried shelled vegetables | $2.1 billion | -21.7% |
| 31 | Diamonds (unmounted/unset) | $2.1 billion | -5.6% |
| 32 | Particle board, other ligneous materials | $2 billion | +10.3% |
| 33 | Phone system devices including smartphones | $2 billion | +3.6% |
| 34 | Machinery parts | $1.9 billion | +12.2% |
| 35 | Plastic packing goods, lids, caps | $1.9 billion | +5.2% |
| 36 | Iron or steel scrap | $1.8 billion | +24.8% |
| 37 | Zinc (unwrought) | $1.8 billion | +33.4% |
| 38 | Newsprint (rolls or sheets) | $1.8 billion | +14.6% |
| 39 | Seats (excluding barber/dentist chairs) | $1.7 billion | +2.5% |
| 40 | Rubber tires (new) | $1.7 billion | +0.4% |
| 41 | Nickel (unwrought) | $1.6 billion | +13.5% |
| 42 | Liquid pumps and elevators | $1.6 billion | +4.5% |
| 43 | Computers, optical readers | $1.5 billion | +4.8% |
| 44 | Fresh or chilled beef | $1.5 billion | +17.7% |
| 45 | Uncoated paper for writing/printing | $1.5 billion | +16.4% |
| 46 | Miscellaneous machinery | $1.5 billion | +13% |
| 47 | Chocolate, other cocoa preparations | $1.4 billion | -2.5% |
| 48 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $1.4 billion | +5.8% |
| 49 | Miscellaneous oil cakes | $1.4 billion | +13.7% |
| 50 | Transmission shafts, gears, clutches | $1.3 billion | +1.4% |
| 51 | Acyclic alcohols | $1.3 billion | +2.1% |
| 52 | Beauty/makeup/skin care preparations | $1.3 billion | +15.4% |
| 53 | Radioactive chemical elements | $1.3 billion | +4.9% |
| 54 | Miscellaneous plastic items | $1.3 billion | +4.6% |
| 55 | Moulding boxes/base | $1.3 billion | +2.1% |
| 56 | Armored vehicles, tanks | $1.3 billion | +95.6% |
| 57 | Miscellaneous iron and steel structures | $1.3 billion | +10.3% |
| 58 | Hot-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $1.3 billion | +26.6% |
| 59 | Semi-chemical woodpulp | $1.3 billion | +14.4% |
| 60 | Refined copper, unwrought alloys | $1.2 billion | -11.9% |
| 61 | Centrifuges, filters and purifiers | $1.2 billion | +14% |
| 62 | Wood carpentry, builders' joinery | $1.2 billion | -0.5% |
| 63 | Petroleum oil residues | $1.1 billion | +35% |
| 64 | TV receiver/transmit/digital cameras | $1.1 billion | +6.8% |
| 65 | Lifting/loading machinery | $1.1 billion | +15.5% |
| 66 | Copper wire | $1.1 billion | +42.1% |
| 67 | Other food preparations | $1.1 billion | +12.2% |
| 68 | Other prepared/preserved vegetables (frozen) | $1.1 billion | +9.2% |
| 69 | Piston engine parts | $1.1 billion | +2.7% |
| 70 | Nickel matte, oxide sinters | $1.1 billion | +7.4% |
| 71 | Taps, valves, similar appliances | $1.1 billion | +6.7% |
| 72 | Acyclic hydrocarbons | $1.1 billion | +58.4% |
| 73 | Electro-medical equipment (e.g. xrays) | $1.1 billion | +6.5% |
| 74 | Other measuring/testing machines | $1 billion | -6.7% |
| 75 | Integrated circuits/microassemblies | $1 billion | +12.8% |
| 76 | Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels | $1 billion | +3.2% |
| 77 | Base metal mountings, fittings | $993.3 million | +11.6% |
| 78 | Electrical converters/power units | $981.2 million | +4% |
| 79 | Precious metal waste, scrap | $975.6 million | +17.4% |
| 80 | Flat-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products (plated/coated) | $971.2 million | +5% |
| 81 | Aircraft launch gear, ground fly trainer | $921.4 million | +28.9% |
| 82 | Paper containers, cellulose wadding | $902 million | +4.9% |
| 83 | Aluminum waste, scrap | $893.3 million | +9.6% |
| 84 | Fork-lift trucks | $881.1 million | +12% |
| 85 | Miscellaneous iron or steel tubes, pipes | $878.2 million | -11.4% |
| 86 | Cyclic hydrocarbons | $873.2 million | +9.2% |
| 87 | Silver (unwrought) | $870.5 million | -20.3% |
| 88 | Rubber/plastic article making machines | $864.7 million | -5.6% |
| 89 | Insulated wire/cable | $856.7 million | +5.6% |
| 90 | Miscellaneous iron or steel items | $851.2 million | +14.5% |
| 91 | Temperature-change machines | $849 million | +0.8% |
| 92 | Lamps, lighting, illuminated signs | $848.4 million | -1.5% |
| 93 | Whole fish (fresh) | $832.1 million | +4.3% |
| 94 | Live bovine cattle | $817 million | -7.4% |
| 95 | Miscellaneous animal feed preparations | $770.7 million | +1.9% |
| 96 | Copper waste, scrap | $763.3 million | +3.2% |
| 97 | Blood fractions (including antisera) | $752.2 million | -3.2% |
| 98 | Electrical machinery | $749.8 million | +3.9% |
| 99 | Uncoated paper | $746.5 million | +26.7% |
| 100 | Regulate/control instruments | $732.4 million | -1.2% |
| 101 | Coins | $711.6 million | +1,644% |
| 102 | Physical/chemical analysis tools | $710 million | +17% |
| 103 | Uncoated kraft paper | $705.5 million | +8.2% |
| 104 | Rough wood | $684.1 million | -5% |
| 105 | Public-transport vehicles | $662.1 million | +1.2% |
| 106 | Air or vacuum pumps | $639.2 million | +11.3% |
| 107 | Miscellaneous fresh/chilled vegetables | $638.4 million | +14.6% |
| 108 | Cobalt | $630.3 million | +44.4% |
| 109 | Miscellaneous engines, motors | $628.6 million | +14.3% |
| 110 | Bridge structures, parts | $626.9 million | -2.3% |
| 111 | Coated paper | $618.6 million | +9.5% |
| 112 | Sanitary towels, baby napkins/liners | $615.4 million | +4.9% |
| 113 | Vulcanized rubber items | $594.8 million | +7.5% |
| 114 | Lead (unwrought) | $588 million | -4% |
| 115 | Dishwashing, clean/dry/fill machines | $587.4 million | +18.4% |
| 116 | Plastic builders' items | $577.4 million | +7.2% |
| 117 | Flat-rolled other alloy steel products | $575.4 million | +27.3% |
| 118 | Other diagnostic/lab reagents | $575.4 million | +9.1% |
| 119 | Chemical industry products/residuals | $574.4 million | +13.9% |
| 120 | Liquid crystal/laser/optical tools | $573.7 million | +28.9% |
| 121 | Trailers | $564.4 million | +22% |
| 122 | Radar, radio communication items | $557.5 million | +7.7% |
| 123 | Air conditioners | $551.1 million | +17% |
| 124 | Aluminum plates, sheets, strips | $549.7 million | +1.6% |
| 125 | Agriculture/poultry/bee-keeping machines | $544.2 million | +16.7% |
| 126 | Plastic plates, sheets, film, tape, strips | $537.4 million | +3.6% |
| 127 | Hydraulic cements | $536.6 million | +20.8% |
| 128 | Sugar confectionery (no cocoa) | $535 million | +1.4% |
| 129 | Aluminum wire | $528.7 million | +8.4% |
| 130 | Barley | $527.2 million | +28.8% |
| 131 | Harvest/threshing machinery | $520.7 million | +23.9% |
| 132 | Tissues, napkins, toilet paper | $512.4 million | +0.3% |
| 133 | Plastic tubes, pipes, fittings | $509.9 million | +18% |
| 134 | Flour/meal/starch/malt extract food preparations | $507.5 million | +7.4% |
| 135 | Survey/hydro/weather instruments | $505.3 million | +13.9% |
| 136 | Coffee | $504.7 million | -18.3% |
| 137 | Interchangeable hand/machine tools | $499.1 million | +5.2% |
| 138 | Computer parts, accessories | $484.7 million | -12.1% |
| 139 | Iron and steel screws, bolts, nuts, washers | $484 million | +9.7% |
| 140 | Metal-containing ash, residues | $478.5 million | +12.9% |
| 141 | Chemical woodpulp (dissolving) | $477.7 million | +19.8% |
| 142 | TV/radio/radar device parts | $475.1 million | -4.7% |
| 143 | Nitrogenous fertilizers | $474.3 million | -8% |
| 144 | Miscellaneous preserved fruits | $470 million | +7% |
| 145 | Cellulose fiber paper | $468.9 million | -4.7% |
| 146 | Oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers | $468.6 million | +10.7% |
| 147 | Aluminum bars/rods | $453.7 million | -1.2% |
| 148 | Fuel wood, wood chips, sawdust | $452.5 million | +18.4% |
| 149 | Alcohol (including spirits, liqueurs) | $448.8 million | +5.5% |
| 150 | Polyacetal/ether/carbonates | $440.2 million | +3% |
| 151 | Soil preparation/cultivation machinery | $434.2 million | +19.4% |
| 152 | Other precious metal items | $421.6 million | +70.8% |
| 153 | Special purpose vehicles | $420.8 million | +49.2% |
| 154 | Automobile bodies | $419.7 million | +27.5% |
| 155 | Tomatoes | $411.7 million | -0.6% |
| 156 | Ammonia | $411.5 million | -13.8% |
| 157 | Hair preparations | $410 million | +16% |
| 158 | Alloy steel bars, rods | $407.5 million | -3.8% |
| 159 | Corn | $406.3 million | +31% |
| 160 | Lower-voltage switches, fuses | $403.7 million | +11.1% |
| 161 | Solid-form sugars, fructose, glucose, lactose | $402.5 million | +4.3% |
| 162 | Miscellaneous printed matter | $402.4 million | -2% |
| 163 | Tractors | $400.8 million | +0.7% |
| 164 | Iron ferroalloys | $398.2 million | +18.5% |
| 165 | Miscellaneous meat (preserved/prepared) | $395 million | +13.5% |
| 166 | Iron and steel tubes, pipes | $391.4 million | +98.4% |
| 167 | Laminated wood (including plywood, veneer panels) | $385.1 million | +7.7% |
| 168 | Frozen beef | $381.8 million | +13.4% |
| 169 | Other coloring matter, luminophores | $380 million | -3.4% |
| 170 | Oats | $378.4 million | +14.2% |
| 171 | Printing machinery | $374.4 million | -5.4% |
| 172 | Peat | $374 million | +4.9% |
| 173 | Ball, roller bearings | $369.2 million | +8.5% |
| 174 | Miscellaneous wooden articles | $367 million | +7% |
| 175 | Sort/screen/washing machinery | $365.4 million | +3.6% |
| 176 | Fish fillets, pieces | $363.2 million | +8.1% |
| 177 | Other machine parts, accessories | $358.4 million | +16.3% |
| 178 | Red meat offal | $356 million | -15.6% |
| 179 | Electric sound/visual signal bells or alarms | $351.4 million | -1.4% |
| 180 | Wood/other ligneous fiberboard | $349.9 million | +11.7% |
| 181 | Electric motors, generators | $346.1 million | +1.3% |
| 182 | Refrigerators, freezers | $345.1 million | +1.3% |
| 183 | Moluscs | $345 million | -1.7% |
| 184 | Unrecorded sound media | $343.8 million | +34.3% |
| 185 | Monofilament | $342.7 million | +5.8% |
| 186 | Navigational aids, compasses | $338.4 million | +6.5% |
| 187 | Whole fish (frozen) | $337.5 million | +7.4% |
| 188 | Jewelry | $337.1 million | +29.7% |
| 189 | Organic surface-active goods, soap | $336.1 million | +6.5% |
| 190 | Malt | $330.2 million | -11.6% |
| 191 | Veneer sheets, sheets for sawn wood | $330.1 million | +11.9% |
| 192 | Frozen fruits, nuts | $329.7 million | +23.6% |
| 193 | Crustaceans, molluscs (preserved/prepared) | $328.4 million | -13.9% |
| 194 | Unvulcanized compounded rubber | $327.8 million | +16.6% |
| 195 | Cold-rolled iron or non-alloy steel products | $327 million | +17.1% |
| 196 | Electrical lighting/signaling equpment, defrosters | $323 million | +9.7% |
| 197 | Sauces, mixed condiments, seasonings | $321.4 million | +8.3% |
| 198 | Non-sublimed sulphur | $321.3 million | +29.8% |
| 199 | Live swine | $320.9 million | -10.5% |
| 200 | Liquid/gas checking instruments | $320.2 million | +20.8% |
These 200 exported goods were worth a subtotal of US$382.1 billion or 84.9% by value for all products exported from Canada during 2018.
The latest available country-specific data shows that 91.5% of products exported from Canada were bought by importers in: United States (75% of the global total), China (4.7%), United Kingdom (2.8%), Japan (2.2%), Mexico (1.4%), South Korea (1%), Germany (0.8%), Netherlands (0.8%), India (0.7%), Hong Kong (0.7%), Belgium (0.6%) and France (0.6%).
From a continental perspective, over three-quarters (76.4%) of Canadian exports by value were delivered to its North American trade partners namely the United States and Mexico. Asian importers purchased 12.3% worth while buyers in Europe consumed 8.5%. Smaller percentages were delivered to Latin America (1.4%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, Africa (0.8%) and Oceania (0.5%) led by Australia and New Zealand.
In macroeconomic terms, Canada’s total exported goods represent 24.5% of its overall Gross Domestic Product for 2018 ($1.837 trillion valued in Purchasing Power Parity US dollars). That 24.5% for exports to overall GDP per PPP in 2018 compares to 29.4% for 2014, seeming to indicate a relatively decreasing reliance on products sold on international markets for Canada’s total economic performance. And while this article focuses on exported goods, it is interesting to note that Canada also provided $92.9 billion worth of exports-related services to global customers for an additional 5.1% of GDP in PPP.
Another key indicator of a country’s economic performance is its unemployment rate. Canada’s unemployment rate was 5.5% as of October 2019 according to Trading Economics, down from 5.8% in August 2018.
See also Canada’s Top 10 Imports, Canada’s Top Trading Partners, Top Canadian Trade Balances and Canada’s Top 10 Major Export Companies
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Country Profiles. Accessed on December 6, 2019
Forbes Global 2000 rankings, The World’s Biggest Public Companies. Accessed on December 6, 2019
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on December 6, 2019
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on December 6, 2019
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on December 6, 2019
Wikipedia, Cosmetic industry. Accessed on December 6, 2019
Wikipedia, Gross domestic product. Accessed on December 6, 2019
Wikipedia, Purchasing power parity. Accessed on December 6, 2019
World’s Richest Countries, Targeted research > Enriching insights > Global opportunities (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on December 6, 2019