--- canonical_url: "https://csls.ca/research/lessons-for-canada-from-international-productivity-experience/" title: "Lessons for Canada from International Productivity Experience" author: name: "shomp" url: "https://csls.ca/author/shomp/" date_published: "2026-07-02T13:48:03+00:00" date_modified: "2026-07-21T14:07:50+00:00" post_type: "research" summary: "" post_tag: - "Australia" - "Canada" - "Finland" - "international comparison" - "Ireland" - "labour productivity" - "OECD" - "policy" - "productivity" - "Sweden" - "UK" - "United States" country_focus: - "Multi-country" - "OECD" - "UK" province_region: - "National" research_theme: - "Productivity and Economic Measurement" featured_image: "https://csls.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/old-reports_hero_banner_bg.webp" status: "publish" --- # Lessons for Canada from International Productivity Experience Canonical URL: https://csls.ca/research/lessons-for-canada-from-international-productivity-experience/ # Lessons for Canada from International Productivity Experience [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2006-02-1.pdf) Cite this report × Cite this report as: Sharpe, Andrew. 2006. “Lessons for Canada from International Productivity Experience.” CSLS Research Report 2006-02. Ottawa: Centre for the Study of Living Standards. https://csls.ca/research/lessons-for-canada-from-international-productivity-experience/ ## Author: - Andrew Sharpe Centre for the Study of Living Standards (CSLS) ## Report 2006-02 October 2006 80 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 objective of this report is to develop a more comprehensive understanding, from a policy perspective, of key drivers of labour productivity in selected OECD countries and their impact on enhanced productivity performance. It is hoped that the project will inform and strengthen future policy development in the productivity area, particularly as to related to ensuring appropriate and effective investments to support the skills development of Canadians. The report is divided into three major parts. The first part will provide a general review of international labour productivity and income growth rates and levels in OECD countries. The second section presents some general lessons from the productivity performance of OECD countries and international evidence of productivity drivers based on the OECD growth project and productivity studies by the McKinsey Global Institute. The third part discusses the productivity experience of six OECD countries considered of particular interest to Canada – the United States, Australia, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Finland, and Sweden – and comments on possible lessons for Canada from these experiences. L’objectif de ce rapport est d’approfondir, du point de vue des politiques publiques, la compréhension des principaux moteurs de la productivité du travail dans certains pays de l’OCDE et de leur incidence sur l’amélioration de la performance en matière de productivité. Le projet vise à éclairer et à renforcer l’élaboration future des politiques dans le domaine de la productivité, notamment en ce qui concerne les investissements appropriés et efficaces pour soutenir le développement des compétences des Canadiens. Le rapport se divise en trois grandes parties. La première propose un examen général des taux et niveaux de croissance de la productivité du travail et du revenu à l’échelle internationale dans les pays de l’OCDE. La deuxième présente des leçons générales tirées de la performance des pays de l’OCDE en matière de productivité, ainsi que des données probantes internationales sur les moteurs de la productivité, fondées sur le projet de croissance de l’OCDE et des études de productivité du McKinsey Global Institute. La troisième partie examine l’expérience en matière de productivité de six pays de l’OCDE jugés particulièrement pertinents pour le Canada — les États-Unis, l’Australie, l’Irlande, le Royaume-Uni, la Finlande et la Suède — et formule des commentaires sur les leçons possibles pour le Canada tirées de ces expériences. [Download full PDF report](https://csls.ca/pdf/csls2006-02-1.pdf)