Highlights
Archived Content
Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.
Canada's merchandise exports declined 1.2% in April, while imports edged up 0.1%. After five consecutive monthly surpluses, Canada posted a trade deficit of $367 million in April, down from a surplus of $152 million in March.
Exports fell to $39.1 billion, the result of a 1.9% decline in prices. The main contributors to the overall decrease were exports of industrial goods and materials, as well as machinery and equipment.
Imports rose to $39.5 billion, their fifth consecutive monthly increase. The gains were led by higher imports of automotive products and other consumer goods, while imports of energy products declined.
Exports to the United States fell 1.2% to $28.4 billion in April, the fourth consecutive monthly decrease. Imports from the United States rose 1.3% to $24.6 billion. As a result, Canada's trade surplus with the United States decreased from $4.5 billion in March to $3.8 billion in April.
Exports to countries other than the United States decreased 1.2% to $10.7 billion in April, while imports declined 1.9% to $14.9 billion. Canada's trade deficit with countries other than the United States narrowed from $4.4 billion in March to $4.2 billion in April.
Note to readers
Merchandise trade is one component of Canada's international balance of payments (BOP), which also includes trade in services, investment income, current transfers as well as capital and financial flows.
International merchandise trade data by country are available on both a BOP and a customs basis for the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom. Trade data for all other individual countries are available on a customs basis only. BOP data are derived from customs data by making adjustments for factors such as valuation, coverage, timing and residency. These adjustments are made to conform to the concepts and definitions of the Canadian System of National Accounts.
Data in this release are on a BOP basis, seasonally adjusted and in current dollars. Constant dollars are calculated using the Laspeyres volume formula.
New aggregation structure
Statistics Canada will introduce the North American Product Classification System (NAPCS) for merchandise import and export statistics. The new structure will replace the classification structures known as the summary import groups (SIG) and the summary export groups (SEG) and the higher level aggregations; major groups, subsectors, sectors and sections that have been in use for several decades.
Revised data based on NAPCS, for the reference period of January 1988 to August 2012, will be disseminated on October 18th, 2012.
The first regular release of data based on NAPCS will be on November 8, 2012 for the September reference month.
Readers interested in this upcoming change can find more detailed information on our web page dedicated to classification consultation and notification (http://www.statcan.gc.ca/concepts/consult-napcs-scpan-eng.htm).
- Date modified: