--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/a-detailed-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-canadian-forest-products-sector/" title: "A Detailed Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Canadian Forest Products Sector" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T13:03:39+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T13:03:39+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Canada" - "capital investment" - "forest products" - "forestry" - "labour productivity" - "logging" - "paper manufacturing" - "productivity" - "wood product manufacturing" country_focus: - "Canada" province_region: - "National" research_theme: - "Productivity and Economic Measurement" - "Sector/Industry Analysis" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # A Detailed Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Canadian Forest Products Sector Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/a-detailed-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-canadian-forest-products-sector/ # A Detailed Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Canadian Forest Products Sector [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2014-01-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: de Avillez, Ricardo. 2014. “A Detailed Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Canadian Forest Products Sector.” CSLS Research Report 2014-01. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/a-detailed-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-canadian-forest-products-sector/ ## Author: - Ricardo de Avillez Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2014-01 May 2014 155 pages ## Related research [Measuring the Appropriate Outcomes for Better Decision-Making: A Framework to Guide the Analysis of Health Policy Matthew Calver March 2016 | Report 2016-03 | 132 pages](https://csls.ca/research/measuring-the-appropriate-outcomes-for-better-decision-making-a-framework-to-guide-the-analysis-of-health-policy-2016-03/) [Living Standards Domain of the Canadian Index of Wellbeing Andrew Sharpe, Christopher Ross November 2011 | Report 2011-17 | 124 pages](https://csls.ca/research/living-standards-domain-of-the-canadian-index-of-wellbeing-2011-17/) [Productivity: Key to Economic Success Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) March 1998 | Report 1998-01 | 99 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-key-to-economic-success/) [Productivity Trends: A Canada-U.S. Comparison Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) January 1999 | Report 1999-01 | 6 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-a-canada-u-s-comparison/) [New Estimates of Manufacturing Productivity Growth for Canada and the United States Andrew Sharpe March 1999 | Report 1999-02 | 21 pages](https://csls.ca/research/new-estimates-of-manufacturing-productivity-growth-for-canada-and-the-united-states/) [Apprenticeship in Canada: A Training System Under Siege? Andrew Sharpe December 1999 | Report 1999-03 | 59 pages](https://csls.ca/research/apprenticeship-in-canadaa-training-system-under-siege/) [A Survey of Indicators of Economic and Social Well-being Andrew Sharpe July 1999 | Report 1999-cprn | 72 pages](https://csls.ca/research/a-survey-of-indicators-of-economic-and-social-well-being/) [Creating a More Efficient Labour Market Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2001 | Report 2001-02 | 147 pages](https://csls.ca/research/creating-a-more-efficient-labour-market/) [Productivity Trends in the Construction Sector: A Case of Lagging Technical Progress Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) November 2001 | Report 2001-03 | 177 pages](https://csls.ca/research/productivity-trends-in-the-construction-sector-a-case-of-lagging-technical-progress/) [The Impact of the National Child Benefit Supplement on the Low Income Status of Canadian Families with Children: The SPSD/M Results Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) June 2002 | Report 2002-01 | 59 pages](https://csls.ca/research/the-impact-of-the-national-child-benefit-supplement-on-the-low-income-status-of-canadian-families-with-children-the-spsd-m-results/) ## Abstract ## Résumé EN FR Copy link Email LinkedIn The Canadian forest products sector has had an above-average productivity performance in the 2000-2012 period, 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 report 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 report recommends renewed focus on human and physical capital investment, as well as on R&D spending. Le secteur canadien des produits forestiers a affiché une performance de productivité supérieure à la moyenne au cours de la période 2000-2012, portée notamment par le sous-secteur de la fabrication de produits du bois. Bien que le sous-secteur de la foresterie et de l’exploitation forestière ait également bénéficié de gains de productivité importants, la performance du sous-secteur de la fabrication du papier a été loin d’être impressionnante, particulièrement après 2008. Ce rapport 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 moteurs de la productivité dans le secteur, en étudiant les obstacles potentiels à la croissance de la productivité et en discutant des politiques susceptibles de favoriser une croissance plus rapide. Étant donné le rôle croissant des pays à faible coût de main-d’œuvre sur plusieurs marchés des produits forestiers, le maintien d’une croissance robuste de la productivité est impératif pour que le secteur canadien des produits forestiers demeure concurrentiel à l’échelle internationale. Dans cette optique, le rapport recommande de renouveler l’accent sur l’investissement en capital humain et physique, ainsi que sur les dépenses en R-D. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2014-01-1.pdf)