Trade and gender: The Canada-Australia story

The amount of 2-way merchandise trade between Canada and Australia increased by 10.8% in 2019, as compared to 2018—the last full year before preferential tariff treatment under CPTPP was applicable. In 2020, with the onset of COVID-19, merchandise trade fell by 2.2% compared to 2019.

In 2020, Canada exported $2,137 million in goods to Australia and imported $2,360 million worth of goods.

In Canada, 10,697 jobs were directly or indirectly supported by merchandise exports to Australia in 2019, 3,279 of which were occupied by women.

Top 5 Industries: Number of direct and indirect jobs occupied by women that are supported by goods exports to Australia –

• Wholesale trade: 461 jobs
• Crop and animal production: 250 jobs
• Finance and insurance: 234 jobs
• Transportation and warehousing: 226 jobs
• Professional, scientific and technical services: 201 jobs

The number of Canadian businesses exporting goods to Australia in 2020 was 3,069, while the number of Canadian businesses importing goods from Australia was 2,392.

Women-owned and equally-owned businesses in 2017:

• Export value: 11.7%
• Import value: 22.6%
• Exporters: 19.5%
• Importers: 26.8%

Men-owned businesses in 2017:

• Export value: 88.3%
• Import value: 77.4%
• Exporters: 80.5%
• Importers: 73.2%

Women-owned and equally-owned Canadian businesses make up a larger portion of imports than exports, by both number of importers and value.

Notes:

• Women-, men- and equally-owned businesses refer to Canadian-controlled private corporations.
• The reported fractions are those for which data on gender ownership is available.

Sources: Statistics Canada, Canadian Employer-Employee Dynamics Database, Trade by Exporter Characteristics, Trade by Importer Characteristics and Canadian Merchandise Trade Database.