The Introduction of Chain Volume Indexes in the Income and Expenditure Accounts

Currently, one measure of real gross domestic product (GDP) at market prices is published by Statistics Canada. It is a fixed weighted index, and the weights are from the base year, 1986. In the first quarter of 1990, alternate formulations of real GDP were reviewed in an article released in this publication. One of the alternatives discussed in the article was the Chain Volume Indexes.

The purpose of this article was to introduce a new set of indexes into the Income and Expenditure Accounts. The indexes include quarterly re-weighted Chain Volume Indexes and annually re-weighted Chain Volume Indexes of GDP, excluding the value of physical change in inventories.