Logging, 2019
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Released: 2021-03-22
$10.6 billion
2019
-1.1% 
(annual change)
Total revenue from the logging sector declined 1.2% (-$132.1 million) from 2018 to $11.3 billion in 2019. Logging (except contract) ($5.6 billion) and contract logging ($5.7 billion) each accounted for about half the industry.
Revenue from logging activities, which isolates revenue from logging activities from other sources of revenue such as secondary business activities, was down 1.1% (-$121.7 million) from 2018 to $10.6 billion in 2019. Contributing to this decline in revenue was a 3.0% drop in the prices of logs, pulpwood and other forestry products, as measured by the Raw Materials Price Index.
Total expenses from the logging sector were relatively stable in 2019, down 0.2% (-$24.8 million) from 2018 to $10.8 billion. For every dollar earned in total revenue, loggers spent 95 cents in total expense in 2019, an increase of 1 cent compared with 2018. This increase affected contract loggers, pushing their spending to 97 cents, while the cost for loggers (except contract) remained at 93 cents.
The cost of materials and supplies decreased 1.7% (-$88.0 million) in 2019 to $5.1 billion for all logging activities. Materials and supplies accounted for 36% of total expenses for contract loggers, while they represented 60% for loggers (except contract). The cost of materials and supplies is composed of purchases of raw materials and components, repairs and maintenance, payments to subcontractors, and stumpage fees.
In 2019, total salaries and wages for the logging industry rose 1.6% (+$28.5 million) from 2018 to $1.8 billion. The contract loggers paid out 71% of the total salaries and wages, or $1.3 billion, compared with $519.3 million for loggers (except contract). For every dollar of expenses, contract loggers spent more on salaries and wages, at 23 cents, than loggers (except contract), at 10 cents. This difference can be partly explained by the fact that loggers, who are by definition logging on an own-account basis, also hire subcontractors, and this results in some of the salary and wage expenses being classified under subcontract fees.
British Columbia revenues from logging activities declined $260.2 million (-4.7%), more than offsetting increases in Alberta (+$105.3 million or +10.7%), Quebec (+$44.8 million or +2.1%) and New Brunswick (+$39.4 million or +6.3%) and contributing to the $121.7 million decrease at the national level. The drop in Ontario (-$60.9 million or -5.3%) also contributed to the national decline.
Note to readers
The logging industry is composed of two sub-industries: logging (except contract) and contract logging. The largest proportion of revenues for contract loggers comes from logging services provided on a fee or contract basis, while the largest share of revenues for the logging (except contract) industry are from logging operations on an own-account basis.
Data for 2018 have been revised.
This survey collects data from businesses based on their fiscal year. For the year 2019, this can include data for the period ending as late as March 31, 2020. As such, these results do not fully reflect the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. Future releases from this survey will provide more comprehensive information on the impact of COVID-19 on businesses. In the meantime, users can obtain information from other Statistics Canada programs.
The data for reference year 2019 were collected during the spring and summer of 2020. This collection period includes the events and business disruptions around COVID-19 and, in some industries, response rates have been lower. As a result, there may be larger-than-normal revisions to the data in future releases. For more information on data quality and revisions, please refer to Annual Survey of Manufacturing and Logging Industries.
Changes in methodology were made to the Annual Survey of Manufacturing and Logging Industries beginning with the reference year 2013. Users should therefore use caution when comparing current data with historical data from before 2013. For more information on the methodology changes, consult the document The Integrated Business Statistics Program, in the Behind the data feature of our website.
Contact information
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