Culture Goods Trade (2006)

June 17, 200817 June 2008

Issue

Culture, international trade and foreign policy

Article Link

http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/87-007-XIE/87-007-XIE2007001.htm

Statistics Canada provides raw data annually on trade in culture goods and services. The most recent culture goods trade tables, providing data from 2006, were released in June 2007. Hill Strategies Research has analyzed this raw data for this issue of the Arts Research Monitor.

The online resource from Statistics Canada provides a definition of culture goods: “Culture goods include books, magazines, newspapers, postcards, calendars, films, videos, digital videodiscs (DVDs), sheet music, compact discs (CDs), cassettes, vinyl long-playing phonograph records (LPs), paintings (original and reproductions), photographs, sculptures, ornaments and figurines, architectural plans, designs and drawings, advertising materials, museum exhibits, coin and stamp collections, and antiques. Unrecorded media, such as blank CDs, are not included.”

In 2006, total exports of culture goods amounted to $2.1 billion, a deficit of $1.8 billion when compared with the $3.9 billion in imports in that year. The large trade deficit in culture goods has been consistent since 2000.

The largest export sectors for culture goods are publishing ($788 million in exports) and film and video ($556 million). Despite the relatively high level of exports, the publishing goods sector experienced a $2.1 billion trade deficit in 2006. Exports of original Canadian works of visual art totalled $73 million, while imports of original foreign works equalled $136 million in 2006.

Between 2000 and 2006, culture goods imports increased by 5%, while exports decreased by 1%. Film products were a leading export growth sector, more than doubling between 2000 and 2006.

Culture goods trade with the United States represents 82% of total culture goods trade, including 90% of exports and 78% of imports. In 2006, Canada had a culture goods trade deficit with the United States of $1.2 billion.

The United Kingdom is the second largest country for culture goods exports from Canada, representing 2% of exports. The U.K. is followed by France, Germany and China (each accounting for 1% of exports). China is the second largest country for Canadian imports of culture goods, representing 8% of imports. China is followed by France and the United Kingdom (each accounting for 4% of imports).