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Canadian Productivity Growth: Stuck in the Oil Sands

Author

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  • Oliver Loertscher
  • Pau S. Pujolas

Abstract

We study the behaviour of Canadian total factor productivity growth over the past 60 years. We find that the observed stagnation during the last 20 years is entirely accounted for by the Oil sector. Higher oil prices made capital-intensive sources of oil like the oil sands viable to extract on a commercial scale. However, the greater input required per barrel of oil slowed productivity growth. Comparing Canadian TFP growth to that of the United States reinforces these results. However, our result should not be interpreted to carry any welfare implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Oliver Loertscher & Pau S. Pujolas, 2023. "Canadian Productivity Growth: Stuck in the Oil Sands," Department of Economics Working Papers 2023-01, McMaster University.
    • Handle: RePEc:mcm:deptwp:2023-01
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    File URL: http://socialsciences.mcmaster.ca/econ/rsrch/papers/archive/2023-01.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Paul Boothe & Richard Roy, 2008. "Business Sector Productivity in Canada: What Do We Know?," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 16, pages 3-13, Spring.
    2. Nancy Olewiler, 2017. "Canadas dependence on natural capital wealth: Was Innis wrong?," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 50(4), pages 927-964, November.
    3. Ian Keay, 2009. "Resource Specialization and Economic Performance: A Canadian Case Study, 1970-2005," Canadian Public Policy, University of Toronto Press, vol. 35(3), pages 291-313, September.
    4. Wulong Gu, 2018. "Accounting for Slower Productivity Growth in the Canadian Business Sector after 2000: The Role of Capital Measurement Issues," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 34, pages 21-39, Spring.
    5. Andrew Sharpe, 2010. "Can Sectoral Reallocations of Labour Explain Canada’s Absymal Productivity Performance?," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 19, pages 40-49, Spring.
    6. Nancy Olewiler, 2017. "Canada’s dependence on natural capital wealth: Was Innis wrong?," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 50(4), pages 927-964, November.
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    Cited by:

    1. Jonathan Barr & Peter Foltin & Jianmin Tang, 2023. "Recent Productivity Trends in Canada: Navigating the Twin Transitions of Green and Digitalization," International Productivity Monitor, Centre for the Study of Living Standards, vol. 45, pages 93-119, Fall.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Canadian Productivity Stagnation; Oil Sector; TFP;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity
    • E01 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General - - - Measurement and Data on National Income and Product Accounts and Wealth; Environmental Accounts
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence
    • O51 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - U.S.; Canada

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