Canada's Top Exports & Imports

Most Popular Products in Trade Between Canada & America

Jul 1, 2007 Daniel Workman

Sugar, zinc & precious metals are fastest growing Canadian exports to the U.S. while copper, gold & nuclear fuels are fast-growing imports into Canada from America.

Canada exported US$303.4 billion worth of merchandise to the United States in 2006, up 4.5% from 2005 and up 45% in just 4 years.

Canadian imports from the U.S. rose 8.7% to $230.3 billion in 2006, up 43.1% since 2002.

Canada’s largest trading partner is America, and America’s largest trading partner is Canada.

In terms of the merchandise flow between the two countries, America’s trade deficit with Canada was $73.2 billion in 2006, up 52% from 2002. The U.S. trade deficit with Canada actually decreased 6.7% in 2006 from 2005 – down from the 18.1% deficit increase in 2005 from the year earlier.

Canadian Exports to U.S.

Of the $303.4 billion in American imports from Canada in 2006, the following product categories had the highest values.

1. Petroleum products …US$63.7 billion (21% of Canada to U.S. exports, up 6% from 2005)
2. Passenger cars … $36.6 billion (12.5%, up 1.5%)
3. Car parts & accessories … $15.6 billion (5.1%, down 2.5%)
4. Complete & assembled cars … $12.2 billion (4%, down 2.3%)
5. Aluminum … $7.7 billion (2.5%, up 36.1%)
6. Lumber … $6.6 billion (2.2%, down 8.9%)
7. Finishing materials (e.g. shingles, wallboard) … $5.9 billion (2.0%, down 10.7%)
8. Plastics … $5.8 billion (1.9%, up 7.9%)
9. Telecommunications … $4 billion (1.3%, down 0.7%)
10. Engines & parts … $3.98 billion (1.3%, down 8.6%)

Fastest-Growing Canadian Exports to U.S.

Below are American imports from Canada in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.

1. Sugar … US$43.4 million (up 130.4% from 2005)
2. Zinc … $1.4 billion (up 122.2%)
3. Precious metals … $685.9 million (up 72.4%)
4. Oil field drilling equipment … $1.0 billion (up 65.6%)
5. Copper … $2.0 billion (up 51.1%)
6. Medicinal, dental & pharmaceutical preparations … $3.5 billion (up 43.5%)
7. Nickel … $1.2 billion (up 38.9%)

Canadian Imports from U.S.

Of the $230.3 billion in American exports to Canada in 2006, the following product categories had the highest values.

1. Vehicle parts & accessories … US$23.6 billion (10.3% of Canada from U.S. imports, down 1.5% from 2005)
2. Passenger cars … $13.1 billion (5.7%, up 8.1%)
3. Trucks, buses & special purpose vehicles … $11.8 billion (5.1%, up 16.6%)
4. Industrial machines … $7.5 billion (3.2%, up 9.4%)
5. Engines & parts … $6.4 billion (2.8%, up 3.3%)
6. Plastics … $6.3 billion (2.7%, up 5.9%)
7. Electric apparatus … $5.7 billion (2.5%, up 11.2%)
8. Computer accessories … $5.2 billion (2.3%, down 5.9%)
9. Industrial engines … $4.7 billion (2.0%, up 2.9%)
10. Iron & steel mill products … $4.3 billion (1.9%, up 7.2%)

Fastest-Growing Canadian Imports from U.S.

Below are American exports to Canada in 2006 with the highest percentage sales increases from 2005.

1. Copper … US$1.1 billion (up 122.6% from 2005)
2. Gold … $1.2 billion (up 108.8%)
3. Natural gas liquids … $693 million (up 94.7%)
4. Nuclear fuels materials … $75.8 million (up 62.8%)
5. Specialized mining … $163.8 million (up 58.4%)
6. Non-ferrous metals … $871.5 million (up 57.7%)
7. Precious metals … $647.2 million (up 50.2%)

See also Canadian Imports Exports 2008.

Sources

This analysis is based on latest statistics from the US Census Bureau - Foreign Trade Statistics and CIA World Factbook as of the date of article publication.

The copyright of the article Canada's Top Exports & Imports in International Trade is owned by Daniel Workman. Permission to republish Canada's Top Exports & Imports in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

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Comments

Dec 8, 2008 1:02 PM

Guest :

We export $1.1 Billion worth of copper and then turn around and import $2 Billion worth?!!! What is this money laundering scheme, and how do I get on board?

Jan 12, 2009 6:42 PM

Guest :

Yes its so romantice, the annual sugar cane harvest in Manitoba....Veneceremos!

2 Comments