--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-30/a-comparison-of-productivity-developments-in-canada-and-australia-lessons-for-canada/" title: "A Comparison of Productivity Developments in Canada and Australia: Lessons for Canada" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-13T07:40:49+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-13T07:40:49+00:00" post_type: "ipm" summary: "" ipm_issue_period: - "Spring 2016" ipm_keyword: - "Australia" - "BERD" - "Canada" - "capital intensity" - "comparison" - "innovation" - "product market regulation" - "productivity" - "productivity commission" ipm_research_theme: - "Policy and institutions" ipm_country_focus: - "Australia" - "Canada" - "International" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IPM_50_banner.webp" status: "publish" --- # A Comparison of Productivity Developments in Canada and Australia: Lessons for Canada Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-30/a-comparison-of-productivity-developments-in-canada-and-australia-lessons-for-canada/ # A Comparison of Productivity Developments in Canada and Australia: Lessons for Canada [Download full PDF article](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-30-3-Capeluck.pdf) Cite this article × Cite this article as: Capeluck, Evan. 2016. “A Comparison of Productivity Developments in Canada and Australia: Lessons for Canada.” International Productivity Monitor, No. 30 (Spring 2016): 43–63. https://www.csls.ca/ipm-archive/ipm-issue-30/a-comparison-of-productivity-developments-in-canada-and-australia-lessons-for-canada/ ## Author: - Evan Capeluck Norman Paterson School of International Affairs, Carleton University ## IPM Issue 30 Spring 2016 pp. 43–63 ## 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 objective of this report is to examine the impact of public policy on Australia’s productivity performance and to discuss possible lessons for Canada from this experience. To do this, the report conducts a comprehensive analysis of the productivity performance of both countries, with particular interest in determining which underlying factors can explain Australia’s superior productivity growth in recent years. In addition, the report discusses the literature on the effects of public policy on Australian productivity performance since the 1990s. AUSTRALIA AND CANADA share much in L’objectif de ce rapport est d’examiner l’impact des politiques publiques sur la performance de productivité de l’Australie et de discuter des enseignements possibles pour le Canada tirés de cette expérience. Pour ce faire, le rapport effectue une analyse complète de la performance de productivité des deux pays, avec un intérêt particulier pour déterminer quels facteurs sous-jacents peuvent expliquer la croissance de productivité supérieure de l’Australie ces dernières années. En outre, le rapport examine la littérature sur les effets des politiques publiques sur la performance de productivité australienne depuis les années 1990. [Download full PDF](https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IPM-Issue-30-3-Capeluck.pdf)