This Survey is published on the responsibility of the Economic and Development Review Committee of the OECD, which is charged with the examination of the economic situation of member countries.

The economic situation and policies of Canada were reviewed by the Committee on 14 May 2018. The draft report was then revised in the light of the discussions and given final approval as the agreed report of the whole Committee on 28 May, 2018.

The Secretariat’s draft report was prepared for the Committee by Mr. David Carey and Mr. Andrew Barker under the supervision of Mr. Peter Jarrett. Research assistance was provided by Ms. Isabelle Luong. Ms. Heloise Wickramanayake formatted and produced the layout. The previous Survey of Canada was issued in June 2016.

Information about the latest as well as previous Surveys and more information about how Surveys are prepared is available at www.oecd.org/eco/surveys

    
Basic statistics of Canada, 2017
(Numbers in parentheses refer to the OECD average)*

LAND, PEOPLE AND ELECTORAL CYCLE

Population (million)

36.6

Population density per km² (2016)

4.0

(37.2)

Under 15 (%, 2016)

16.0

(18.0)

Life expectancy (years, 20132)

81.7

(80.5)

Over 65 (%, 2016)

16.6

(16.5)

Men

79.6

(77.9)

Foreign-born (%, 2016)

21.9

 

Women

83.8

(83.1)

Latest 5-year average growth (%)

1.1

(0.6)

Latest general election

October 2015

ECONOMY

Gross domestic product (GDP)

 

 

Value added shares (%, 20141)

 

 

In current prices (billion USD)

1 653.3

 

Primary sector

1.8

(2.5)

In current prices (billion CAD)

2 144.4

 

Industry including construction

28.9

(26.6)

Latest 5-year average real growth (%)

2.1

(2.1)

Services

69.3

(70.9)

Per capita (000 USD PPP)

46.8

(43.9)

 

 

 

GENERAL GOVERNMENT

Per cent of GDP

Expenditure1

40.3

(40.6)

Gross financial debt1

93.8

(110.2)

Revenue1

39.3

(37.7)

Net financial debt1

24.8

(71.2)

EXTERNAL ACCOUNTS

Exchange rate (CAD per USD)

1.297

 

Main exports (% of total merchandise exports)

 

 

PPP exchange rate (USA = 1)

1.251

 

Machinery and transport equipment

27.9

In per cent of GDP

 

 

Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials

20.2

 

Exports of goods and services

30.9

(55.0)

Manufactured goods

12.1

Imports of goods and services

33.2

(50.5)

Main imports (% of total merchandise imports)

 

 

Current account balance

-3.0

(0.4)

Machinery and transport equipment

44.0

Net international investment position

19.3

 

Miscellaneous manufactured articles

12.2

 

 

Manufactured goods

12.0

LABOUR MARKET, SKILLS AND INNOVATION

Employment rate for 15-64 year-olds (%)

73.4

(67.7)

Unemployment rate, Labour Force Survey (age 15 and over) (%)

6.3

(5.8)

Men

76.3

(75.4)

Youth (age 15-24, %)

11.6

(11.9)

Women

70.6

(60.1)

Long-term unemployed (1 year and over, %, 2016)

0.8

(2.0)

Participation rate for 15-64 year-olds (%)

78.5

(72.0)

Tertiary educational attainment 25-64 year-olds (%, 2016)

56.3

(35.7)

Average hours worked per year (2016)

1 703

(1 763)

Gross domestic expenditure on R&D (% of GDP)1

1.5

(2.3)

ENVIRONMENT

Total primary energy supply per capita (toe, 2015)

7.6

(4.1)

CO2 emissions from fuel combustion per capita (tonnes, 2015)

15.3

(9.2)

Renewables (%, 2015)

18.2

(9.6)

Water abstractions per capita (1 000 m³, 2013)

1.0

Exposure to air pollution (more than 10 μg/m³ of PM2.5, % of population, 2015)

21.0

(75.2)

 

 

 

SOCIETY

Income inequality (Gini coefficient, 20153)

0.318

(0.311)

Education outcomes (PISA score, 2015)

 

 

Relative poverty rate (%, 20153)

14.2

(11.3)

Reading

527

(493)

Median disposable household income (000 USD PPP, 20153)

31.5

(22.9)

Mathematics

516

(490)

Public and private spending (% of GDP)

 

Science

528

(493)

Health care (2016)

10.6

(9.0)

Share of women in parliament (%, 2016)

26.0

(28.7)

Pensions (2014d4)

4.6

(9.1)

Net official development assistance (% of GNI)

0.26

(0.38)

Education (primary, secondary, post sec. non tertiary, 2014)

3.6

(3.7)

 

 

 

Better life index: www.oecdbetterlifeindex.org

*Where the OECD aggregate is not provided in the source database, a simple OECD average of latest available data is calculated where data exist for at least 29 member countries.

← 1. 2016 data for the OECD.

← 2. 2015 data for the OECD.

← 3. 2014 data for the OECD.

← 4. 2013 data for the OECD.

Source: Calculations based on data extracted from the databases of the following organisations: OECD, International Energy Agency, World Bank, International Monetary Fund and Inter-Parliamentary Union.