The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Canada’s import purchases during 2020. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Canada.

1. Machinery including computers: US$61.2 billion (15.1% of total imports)
2. Vehicles: $56.2 billion (13.9%)
3. Electrical machinery, equipment: $39.7 billion (9.8%)
4. Mineral fuels including oil: $20.2 billion (5%)
5. Gems, precious metals: $17.4 billion (4.3%)
6. Plastics, plastic articles: $16 billion (3.9%)
7. Pharmaceuticals: $14.3 billion (3.5%)
8. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $11.5 billion (2.8%)
9. Articles of iron or steel: $8.8 billion (2.2%)
10. Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings: $8.3 billion (2.1%)

Canada’s top 10 imports accounted for over three-fifths (62.6%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Gems and precious metals increased in value among the top 10 import categories, up 68.3% from 2019 to 2020 propelled by gold, silver and platinum purchases. The other top category to show improving import sales was the pharmaceuticals category via its 3.2% gain.

Leading Canada’s import decliners was the mineral fuels including oil category (down -39.4%) and vehicles (down -24.5%).

Note that the results listed above are at the categorized two-digit Harmonized Tariff System (HTS) code level. For a more detailed view of imported goods at the four-digit HTS code level, see the adjacent virtual folder tabs.

In 2020, Canadian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$9.9 billion (up 4.8% from 2019)
2. Turbo-jets: $4.6 billion (down -25%)
3. Piston engines: $3.8 billion (down -18.7%)
4. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $3 billion (down -16.5%)
5. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $2.6 billion (down -0.1%)
6. Transmission shafts, gears, clutches: $2.5 billion (down -19.5%)
7. Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $2.3 billion (down -24.2%)
8. Liquid pumps and elevators: $2.3 billion (down -17.6%)
9. Machinery parts: $2.2 billion (down -19.1%)
10. Piston engine parts: $1.8 billion (down -17.8%)

Among these import subcategories, Canadian purchases of computers including optical readers was the lone gainer from 2019 to 2020 thanks to its 4.8% increase.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Canadian businesses and consumers.

In 2020, Canadian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.

1. Cars: US$22 billion (down -22.6% from 2019)
2. Automobile parts/accessories: $14.5 billion (down -26.9%)
3. Trucks: $11.8 billion (down -23.3%)
4. Tractors: $2.4 billion (down -39.9%)
5. Trailers: $1.9 billion (down -23.6%)
6. Armored vehicles, tanks: $1 billion (down -2.7%)
7. Public-transport vehicles: $747.1 million (down -15.8%)
8. Special purpose vehicles: $662.4 million (down -30.1%)
9. Motorcycles: $475.1 million (down -9.6%)
10. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $230.8 million (down -6.8%)

Among these import subcategories, Canadian purchases of armored vehicles and tanks (down -2.7%), motorcycle parts or accessories (down -6.8%) and motorcycles (down -9.6%) showed the lowest percentage declines from 2019 to 2020.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Canadian businesses and consumers.

In 2020, Canadian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electrical goods including consumer electronics.

1. Phone system devices including smartphones: US$9.9 billion (down -8.6% from 2019)
2. Insulated wire/cable: $2.9 billion (down -17.9%)
3. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $2.2 billion (up 0.02%)
4. Electrical converters/power units: $1.8 billion (down -7.9%)
5. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $1.7 billion (down -9.8%)
6. Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $1.6 billion (up 7.2%)
7. Integrated circuits/microassemblies: $1.6 billion (down -17.2%)
8. Microphones/headphones/amps: $1.5 billion (up 16.4%)
9. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $1.5 billion (down -17.2%)
10. Electric motors, generators: $1.4 billion (down -9.6%)

Among these import subcategories, Canadian purchases of microphones, headphones and amplifiers (up 16.4%), electric water heaters and hair dryers (up 7.2%) then TV receivers, monitors and projectors (up 0.02%) grew from 2019 to 2020.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electrical goods among Canadian businesses and consumers.

In 2020, Canadian importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels-related products.

1. Crude oil: US$8.6 billion (down -39.7% from 2019)
2. Processed petroleum oils: $8.3 billion (down -41.6%)
3. Petroleum gases: $1.7 billion (down -32.9%)
4. Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $571.5 million (down -23.5%)
5. Petroleum oil residues: $302.4 million (down -21.9%)
6. Electrical energy: $181.6 million (down -58.7%)
7. Coke, semi-coke: $164.4 million (down -30.2%)
8. Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $151.6 million (down -11.5%)
9. Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $61 million (down -45.9%)
10. Natural bitumen, asphalt, shale: $50 million (down -33.5%)

Among these import subcategories, Canadian purchases of petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (down -11.5%), petroleum oil residues (down -21.9%) then coal including solid fuels made from coal (down -23.5%) grew at the lowest percentages from 2019 to 2020.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported mineral fuels-related goods among Canadian businesses and consumers.