Library of Parliament Research Publications
Trade and Investment Series 2012
Nova Scotia’s Merchandise Trade with the World
Pascal Tremblay, Economics, Resources and International Affairs Division
11 July 2013
Publication Number 2013-38-E 
PDF 396 kB, 6 pages
Contents
Merchandise Trade
In 2012, Nova Scotia’s trade with the world was valued at just under $10.5 billion, comprised of $3.8 billion in exports from Nova Scotia to, and $6.6 billion in imports to the province from, the world.
The value of Nova Scotia’s exports decreased by 14.3% between 2011 and 2012, while the value of the province’s imports declined by 20.6%.
Nova Scotia was Canada’s ninth largest provincial/territorial exporter in 2012. In that year, it was Canada’s eighth largest provincial/territorial importer.
Over the 2007 to 2012 period, the value of Nova Scotia’s exports decreased at an average annual rate of 6.6%, compared to an increase of 0.2% for Canada’s global exports. The value of the province’s exports as a share of the value of Canada’s global exports declined from 1.2% in 2007 to 0.8% in 2012.
The value of Nova Scotia’s imports decreased at an average annual rate of 2.3% over the 2007 to 2012 period, compared to an increase of 2.6% for Canada’s global imports. The value of the province’s imports as a share of the value of Canada’s global imports declined from 1.8% in 2007 to 1.4% in 2012.
In 2011, the most recent year for which data are available, the value of Nova Scotia’s merchandise exports as a proportion of the province’s gross domestic product (GDP) was 12.1%. In that year, the value of Canada’s global merchandise exports as a proportion of the country’s GDP was 25.4%.
The value of Nova Scotia’s merchandise imports as a proportion of the province’s GDP was 22.6% in 2011. In that year, the value of Canada’s global merchandise imports as a proportion of the country’s GDP was 25.3%.
Products
In 2012, manufactured goods accounted for 83.9% of the value of Nova Scotia’s exports, with resource-based goods representing the remaining 16.1%. This composition had changed since 2007, when manufactured goods and resource-based goods accounted for 66.7% and 33.3% respectively of the value of the province’s exports.
Nova Scotia’s highest-valued exports in 2012 were pneumatic rubber tires, crustaceans and chemical wood pulp, which together accounted for 45.0% of the value of the province’s exports. The value of Nova Scotia’s pneumatic rubber tire exports increased from $746.4 million in 2007 to $984.9 million in 2012. The value of the province’s crustacean and chemical wood pulp exports decreased from $573.3 million and $168.4 million respectively in 2007 to $572.7 million and $163.9 million respectively in 2012.
In 2012, manufactured goods represented 84.4% of the value of Nova Scotia’s imports, with resource-based goods accounting for the remaining 15.6%. This composition had changed somewhat since 2007, when manufactured goods and resource-based goods represented 77.3% and 22.7% respectively of the value of the province’s imports.
Nova Scotia’s highest-valued imports in 2012 were motor vehicles, crude petroleum oil and natural rubber, which together accounted for 54.5% of the value of the province’s imports. The value of Nova Scotia’s motor vehicle and crude petroleum oil imports decreased from $2.7 billion and $1.5 billion respectively in 2007 to $2.6 billion and $836.6 million respectively in 2012. The value of the province’s imports of natural rubber increased from $148.2 million in 2007 to $217.5 million in 2012.
In 2012, Nova Scotia had a trade surplus with the world in the product categories of agriculture and food, forest products, and other manufactured goods. It had a trade deficit with the world in all other product categories in that year.
Services and Investment
In 2012, the United States was Nova Scotia’s most significant export destination, with exports valued at $2.7 billion. The country accounted for 71.6% of the value of Nova Scotia’s exports in that year, compared to 77.7% in 2007.
China, France, the United Kingdom and Japan were also among the top five destinations for Nova Scotia’s exports in 2012. Together, these four countries accounted for 10.0% of the value of the province’s exports in that year, compared to 7.1% in 2007.
In 2012, Germany was Nova Scotia’s most significant source of imports, with imports valued at $2.3 billion. The country accounted for 34.9% of the value of Nova Scotia’s imports in that year, compared to 28.0% in 2007.
The United Kingdom, Cuba, the United States and Nigeria were also among the top five sources of Nova Scotia’s imports in 2012. Together, these four countries accounted for 28.6% of the value of the province’s imports in that year, compared to 25.6% in 2007.
In 2012, Nova Scotia had trade surpluses with the United States, the Middle East and Oceania. It had trade deficits with all other regions in that year.
Note
All figures were prepared using Statistics Canada data available in spring 2013. The merchandise trade data are customs-based. [ Return to text ]