--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-27/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-canadian-forest-products-sector-2000-2012/" title: "An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Canadian Forest Products Sector, 2000-2012" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T07:37:58+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T07:37:58+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Fall 2014" ipm_keyword: - "Canada" - "capital investment" - "competitiveness" - "forest products" - "KLEMS" - "MFP" - "paper manufacturing" - "productivity" - "Statistics Canada" - "wood products" ipm_research_theme: - "Sectoral and firm-level dynamics" ipm_country_focus: - "Canada" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Canadian Forest Products Sector, 2000-2012 Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-27/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-canadian-forest-products-sector-2000-2012/ # An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Canadian Forest Products Sector, 2000-2012 [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-27-9-de-Avillez.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: de Avillez, Ricardo. 2014. “An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Canadian Forest Products Sector, 2000-2012.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 27 (Fall 2014): 79–100. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-27/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-canadian-forest-products-sector-2000-2012/ ## Author: - Ricardo de Avillez Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## IPM Issue 27 Fall 2014 pp. 79–100 ## Related IPM articles [The Relationship between Efficiencies Defenses for Mergers and TFP Growth Robin Shaban Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 82–102](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-relationship-between-efficiencies-defenses-for-mergers-and-tfp-growth/) [Adult Skills and Productivity: New Evidence from PIAAC 2023 Dan Andrews, Balázs Égert, Christine de La Maisonneuve Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 41–63](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/adult-skills-and-productivity-new-evidence-from-piaac-2023/) [Appendix: Variable Definitions and Country/Sector Coverage for Regulatory Reform Analysis Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–18](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/appendix-variable-definitions-and-country-sector-coverage-for-regulatory-reform-analysis/) [The Potential Impact of Pro-competitive Regulatory Reforms on Productivity and Growth in Canada Gilbert Cette, Jimmy Lopez, Giuseppe Nicoletti, Océane Vernerey Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 3–40](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/the-potential-impact-of-pro-competitive-regulatory-reforms-on-productivity-and-growth-in-canada/) [IPM Issue 49 Editors’ Overview Andrew Sharpe, Bart van Ark, Paul Schreyer Fall 2025 | IPM Issue 49 | pp. 1–2](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-49/) [Appendix: UK Productivity Growth Rates Across Data Vintages and Studies Josh Martin Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 65–73](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/appendix-uk-productivity-growth-rates-across-data-vintages-and-studies/) [Opportunities and Risks of Artificial Intelligence for Productivity Francesco Filippucci, Peter Gal, Katharina Laengle, Matthias Schief, Filiz Unsal Spring 2025 | IPM Issue 48 | pp. 1–26](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-48/opportunities-and-risks-of-artificial-intelligence-for-productivity/) [Using Ecosystem Accounting to Integrate the Environment in Measures of Multifactor Productivity Carl Obst Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 87–108](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/using-ecosystem-accounting-to-integrate-the-environment-in-measures-of-multifactor-productivity/) [Eroding Natural Capital: An Alternative Explanation for the Secular Decline in Productivity Growth Christina Caron Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 109–147](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/eroding-natural-capital-an-alternative-explanation-for-the-secular-decline-in-productivity-growth/) [How Does Industrial Policy Impact Output, Hours and Productivity? The Canadian Experience Tim Sargent Fall 2024 | IPM Issue 47 | pp. 39–53](https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-47/how-does-industrial-policy-impact-output-hours-and-productivity-the-canadian-experience/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn The 2000-2012 period was a difficult time for the Canadian forest products sector. Yet despite an unfavourable environment the sector experienced an above-average productivity performance, driven in particular by the wood product manufacturing subsector. While the forestry and logging subsector has also benefited from strong productivity gains, the productivity performance of the paper manufacturing subsector has been far from impressive, especially in the post-2008 period. This article provides a detailed analysis of output, input and productivity trends in the Canadian forest products sector. It also looks at the key drivers of productivity in the sector, investigating potential barriers to productivity growth and discussing policies that could enable faster growth. Given the increasing role of countries with low-labour costs in several forest product markets, maintaining robust productivity growth is an imperative for the Canadian forest products sector if it wants to remain competitive internationally. In this sense, the article recommends renewed focus on human and physical capital investment, as well as on R&D spending. PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS ALLOW FIRMS La période 2000-2012 a été difficile pour le secteur canadien des produits forestiers. Pourtant, malgré un environnement défavorable, le secteur a affiché une performance de productivité supérieure à la moyenne, portée notamment par le sous-secteur de la fabrication de produits du bois. Si le sous-secteur de la foresterie et de l’exploitation forestière a également bénéficié de gains de productivité importants, la performance du sous-secteur de la fabrication du papier a été loin d’être impressionnante, en particulier après 2008. Cet article propose une analyse détaillée des tendances de la production, des intrants et de la productivité dans le secteur canadien des produits forestiers. Il examine également les principaux facteurs de productivité dans le secteur, en étudiant les obstacles potentiels à la croissance de la productivité et en discutant des politiques susceptibles de permettre une croissance plus rapide. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-27-9-de-Avillez.pdf)