The aim of this guide is to act as a finding aid to Canadian international and interprovincial trade statistics. For a guide to finding other types of Canadian statistics see the UBC Library Guide to Statistics Canada. What are trade statistics? Trade statistics include information such as: import & export figures: According to Statistics Canada, imports refer to "goods or services brought into a country from another country," while exports refer to "goods or services sent out from a country to another country." balance of trade: This is "the difference between the value of the goods and services that a country exports and the value of the goods and services that it imports." trade surpluses: Occur "when a country's exports exceed its imports." trade deficits: Occur "when a country's imports exceed its exports." balance of payments: These are "a statistical statement of a country's credit and debit transactions with other countries. It includes transactions covering goods and services and capital transactions such as capital transfers." Why are trade statistics important resources? Trade statistics are a key economic indicator revealing the overall strength or weakness of the economy. They reveal trends over time - providing you with a means of analyzing and projecting change. They can reflect changes for the better or worse in the relationships between Canada and its trading partners. They provide one of the bases on which government makes key policy decisions, such as setting import duties; export quotas; establishing embargoes and/or stimulus programs.
Yonge Street Dock, 1906, including Board of Trade building, from Wikimedia Commons, public domain, unknown photographer
British Sources For the early years, available statistics are limited to the value of imports and exports between Canada and Great Britain. The House of Commons Parliamentary Papers. For a detailed guide to finding and using the Parliamentary Papers consult the UBC Library Guide to the British Parliamentary Papers. In brief, the Parliamentary Papers provide three distinct tables of interest: Account of Imports into Great Britain from Canada; Account of Exports from Great Britain into Canada; Exports in and from Newfoundland. They are available from UBC Library: In print: See the Irish University Press Series of British Parliamentary Papers. Colonies: Canada - covering 1800 - 1818. Call number: FC470.I74 1968. Online: via the subscription database House of Commons Parliamentary Papers Online - which covers from 1801 onward. For best results search for the relevant tables by "paper title." On microfiche: at call number AW5.G744 for 1801 - 1900 (and also 1979/1980- present). Note: Ask for assistance at the Koerner library Research Help or Journals/Microforms desks. Canadian Sources More extensive trade statistics - reflecting expanding markets - are available from the mid 19th century onwards from Canadian sources: 1841 - 1866. Trade and Navigation tables are available in the Appendices to the Journals of the Legislative Assembly of Canada for this time period. The Journals and Appendices are available in print at call number J103.C19 or on microfilm at call number AW1.R5143. Look under "Accounts & Tables" in the index , then under "Trade & Navigation Tables" to locate the correct page numbers. 1860 - 1866. Parliament of Canada Sessional Papers. Available in print at call number J103.S28. The Trade & Navigation tables are listed in the table of contents in the front of each volume. 1841 - 1900. The subscription database Early Canadiana Online (ECO) contains the Appendices to the Journals from 1841 to 1900. ECO also contains the Sessional Papers from 1860 to 1900.
Yonge Street Dock, 1906, including Board of Trade building, from Wikimedia Commons, public domain, unknown photographer
After Confederation a wider array of trade information becomes available from a wider array of sources. The Sessional Papers for the Parliament of Canada continue to provide detailed Annual Reports from the Department of Trade & Navigation until 1925. After 1925 the Sessional Papers ceased and were continued by individual Annual Departmental Reports as outlined below. The Sessional Papers are available from UBC Library on microfilm at call number AW1.R7338. The subscription database Early Canadiana Online also contains the Sessional Papers published up to 1900. The University of Toronto has digitized the Sessional Papers for 1901-1925. The Annual Departmental Reports were published separately by each department as well as appearing in the Sessional papers up to 1925. They were published in a single collection, titled Annual Departmental Reports, by the Parliament of Canada for 1925 - 1930. This collection is available from UBC Library at call number J103.S31. The best sources of trade statistics from these departmental reports come from the Dominion Bureau of Statistics (DBS) report, Trade of Canada; the Customs & Excise report from the Department of National Revenue; the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade & Commerce. After 1930, annual departmental reports are only available as separate publications and can be found in the Library catalogue by title or authoring department. Trade of Canada, was the main collection of trade statistics from DBS, and was also published separately over the years under a variety of titles until 1969. Most of these are found between the call numbers HF129.A12 and HF129.A43 T743. Exports by Commodity: This publication was begun by Statistics Canada's precursor, the Dominion Bureau of Statistics, and is available from UBC Library for 1947 - 1995 at call number HF129.A354 C6 Also available from the Dominion Bureau of Statistics/Statistics Canada: Exports by Country, for 1944 - 1994 at call number HF129.A3447 C5 Imports by Commodity, for 1947 - 1995 at call number HF129.A33 I46 Imports by Country, for 1952 - 1994 at call number HF129.A33 C6 Summary of Foreign Trade, for 1959 - 1974 at call number HF129.A43 T743.
Yonge Street Dock, 1906, including Board of Trade building, from Wikimedia Commons, public domain, unknown photographer
In general, the online sources mentioned here provide statistics for recent years only - i.e., from the late 1990s/early 2000s onwards. For earlier years you will likely have to consult one of the print resources outlined in the tabs "import/export" and "international/interprovincial." Statistics Canada provides "free trade data at the national and provincial levels in easy-to-read summary tables." Statistics Canada's detailed, customizable international trade tables are free in the CANSIM database. Statistics Canada also provides publications and research papers free of charge on many topics, including international trade. Trade Analyser Database: CHASS. Note, this database is limited to current UBC students, faculty & staff. "The Trade Analyser includes tables for world trade data for 1988 - 2005 and separate extensive tables for Canadian imports and exports for... 200 countries and is based on the Harmonised System. Canadian imports are classified at the HS 10-digit level and exports at the HS 8-digit level. Features international trade by province, and Canadian trade with individual U.S. states" from 1988 - present. Trade Data Online: This free database from Industry Canada provides statistics for "trade in goods" between Canada and over 200 other countries. Includes "trade by product" at the six digit level of the Harmonised System for 1990 to present and "trade by industry" at the four digit level of NAICS for 1992 - present. Also provides the same information for the US. Source data come from Statistics Canada and the US Census Bureau. Canada Business Trade Map / ITC Market Analysis Tools. "Provides users with indicators on export performance, international demand, alternative markets and the role of competitors. Trade Map covers 220 countries and territories and 5300 products of the Harmonized System. Trade data is also available at the tariff line level for more than 150 countries and on a quarterly and monthly basis for more than 90 countries." Newly added: company data for more than 60 countries. Requires registration and signing a license. Office of the Chief Economist, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada. Provides trade investment and economic statistics, including "transactions between Canada and its main trading partners - including imports and exports of goods and services, direct investment inflows and outflows, and the current account balance; annual statistics on merchandise imports and exports, by country and commodity, recorded on a customs basis; and key trade and economic indicators." International and Interprovincial Trade: Exports and Imports from BC Stats. Provides statistics for imports & exports for BC and Canada, as well as interprovincial trade flows. Trade flow data are available for 1981 to present. Canadian International Merchandise Trade. This publication provides "highlights, definitions and occasional articles on Canadian trade as well as a series of summary charts and tables showing monthly, quarterly, and annual data on both a customs and balance of payments basis. Data are presented by principal trading area, country, commodity category and province. Price and volume indexes and constant dollar information are also included." Issues are available here from May 1996 through February 2011 and here from October 2008 to present. Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada. Provides a wide range of statistical reports including bilateral and merchandise trade flows between Canada and individual countries within the Asia Pacific region. Data are sourced from Statistics Canada, Industry Canada, and international organizations such as the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
Yonge Street Dock, 1906, including Board of Trade building, from Wikimedia Commons, public domain, unknown photographer
Print Sources: Imports Statistics Canada: Imports, Merchandise Trade. This title provides detailed annual import data showing values only by commodity and country at the six digit level of the Harmonised System. Available in print for 1970-1994 and 2001 at call number HF129.C33. Available on microform for 1994 - 2002 at call number AW5.I466 Statistics Canada: Imports by Commodity. A monthly publication. Available in print for 1947 - 1995 at call number HF129.A33 I46 Available in microform for March 1995 - July 2006 at call number AW5.I46 C64 Available on CD-Rom for 2006 - 2007 at call number HF129.A33 I46. Statistics Canada: Imports by Country. A monthly publication. Available in print for 1952 - 1994 at call number HF129.A33 C6 Available in microform for 1995 - February 2006 at call number AW5.I46 C68 Available on CD-Rom for 2006 - 2007 at call number HF129.A33 C6 cd-rom. Print Sources: Exports Statistics Canada: Exports, Merchandise Trade. This title provides detailed annual export data - quantity and value - by commodity and country at the six digit level of the Harmonised System. Available in print for 1970-1993 at call number HF129.A59253. Available in microform for 1994 - 2002 at call number AW5.E96 M47 Statistics Canada: Exports by Commodity. A monthly publication. Available in print for 1947 - 1995 at call number HF129.A354 C6. Available in microform for 1995 - August 2006 at call number AW5.E96 C64 Available on CD-Rom for 2006 - 2007 at call number HF129.A354 C6 CD-ROM Statistics Canada: Exports by Country. A monthly publication. Available in print for 1944 - 1994 at call number HF129.A3347 Available on microform for 1995 - February 2006 at call number AW5.E96 C68. Available on CD-Rom for 2006 - 2007 at call number HF129.A3447 C5 CD-ROM
Yonge Street Dock, 1906, including Board of Trade building, from Wikimedia Commons, public domain, unknown photographer
Statistics Canada: Summary of Foreign Trade: 1959 - 1974: call number HF129.A43 T743. In 1974 this title changes to Summary of External Trade: 1974 - 1985: call number HF129.A43 T741. In 1986 the title changes to: Summary of Canadian International Trade. Published from 1986 - 1994, and is available at call number HF129.A43 T741 In 1994 this title merges with Preliminary Statement of Canadian International Trade to become Canadian International Merchandise Trade which is available for 1994 - 2002 at call number HF129.A43 T742. "This publication provides highlights, definitions and occasional articles on Canadian trade as well as a series of summary tables showing monthly, quarterly, and annual data on both a customs and balance of payments basis." Interprovincial and International Trade in Canada 1984 - 1998 "This publication summarizes and analyzes interprovincial and international trade flows" from 1984 to 1998 in two editions. A freely downloadable pdf is available from the Depository Services Program (DSP) for 1984 - 1996 and the second edition covers 1992 - 1998. The 1984 - 1996 edition is available in print from UBC Library at call number HF3226.5.I573 1997 and the 1992 - 1998 edition is available at call number HF3226.5 .I574 2000. Note, the overlap years have been adjusted where necessary in the second edition: "The earlier publication...contained lower estimates for interprovincial and international exports in 1996. The new 1996 trade estimates incorporate improvements based on a complete interprovincial input-output benchmark, historical revisions and survey results."
Yonge Street Dock, 1906, including Board of Trade building, from Wikimedia Commons, public domain, unknown photographer
