--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-forest-products-sector-in-canada/" title: "An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Forest Products Sector in Canada" author: name: "CSLS" url: "https://csls.ca/author/cslc/" date_published: "2026-07-02T14:08:04+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-02T14:08:04+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Canada" - "capital productivity" - "Finland" - "forest products" - "international comparison" - "labour productivity" - "logging" - "paper products" - "productivity" - "provinces" - "total factor productivity" - "United States" - "wood products" 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" --- # An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Forest Products Sector in Canada Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-forest-products-sector-in-canada/ # An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Forest Products Sector in Canada [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2003-01b.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. 2003. “An Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Forest Products Sector in Canada.” CSLS Research Report 2003-02b. Ottawa. https://csls.ca/research/an-analysis-of-productivity-trends-in-the-forest-products-sector-in-canada/ ## Author: - Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2003-01b February 2003 64 pages ## Related research [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/) [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/) [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 This report provides a comprehensive overview of productivity trends in Canada’s forest products sector — covering forestry and logging, wood products, and paper products — at the national and provincial level from 1961 to 2000. It examines output, employment, capital stock, and labour, capital, and total factor productivity, compares Canada’s performance to the United States and Finland, and identifies 13 determinants of productivity growth. Key findings include strong long-run productivity performance across all three industries relative to the economy average, but a significant slowdown in logging and wood products in the 1990s contrasted with an acceleration in paper products, with relative output price changes identified as a key driver. Ce rapport présente un aperçu complet des tendances de productivité du secteur canadien des produits forestiers — couvrant la foresterie et l’exploitation forestière, les produits du bois et les produits du papier — à l’échelle nationale et provinciale de 1961 à 2000. Il examine la production, l’emploi, le stock de capital, ainsi que la productivité du travail, du capital et multifactorielle, compare la performance du Canada à celle des États-Unis et de la Finlande, et cerne 13 déterminants de la croissance de la productivité. Parmi les principaux constats figurent une solide performance de productivité à long terme dans les trois industries par rapport à la moyenne de l’économie, mais un ralentissement important dans l’exploitation forestière et les produits du bois dans les années 1990, contrastant avec une accélération dans les produits du papier, les variations des prix relatifs de la production étant cernées comme un moteur clé. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2003-01b.pdf)