Сanada’s Industry and Economy Profile

Canada is one of the wealthiest nations, and its economy is the 10th largest in the world. The country is a member of the Group of Eight, the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development, Asia Pacific Economic Development, etc. Its economy is dominated by the tertiary or service sector, while oil and logging industries are among Canada’s most important. The country has a sizeable manufacturing industry, with the aircraft and automobile industry being particularly important.

Canada has a diverse economy, and the key industries are agriculture, manufacturing, energy, and the service sector. Other industry sectors of importance include environmental technologies, renewable energy, wireless communications, chemicals, biopharmaceuticals, shipbuilding and others.

Canada’s natural resource base spreads across its provinces and territories. The country has mineral resources of gold, copper, coal, and iron ore. It is a global leader in the production of lead, diamonds, nickel, gold and uranium.

Canada expands and develops different sources of renewable energy, including bioenergy, solar, and wind energy. The country is a global leader in solar-power commercialization, development, and research. Canada also develops waste-to-energy and biogas technologies and wind-power generation projects.

The forest products industry comprises two subsectors – paper and allied products industries and wood products industries (paperboard, packaging papers, and pulp).

The plastics sector is a multi-faceted and sophisticated sector which encompasses synthetic resins, machinery and plastic products. Canadian companies have expertise in extruders for corrugated pipes, high-quality injection moulding, etc. The country is also a global producer of machinery and equipment, and its expertise spans a variety of subsectors, including oil and natural gas drilling equipment, mining equipment, metalworking machinery, and agricultural machinery.

The aerospace and defence sectors are well-developed, and the country’s aerospace industry is the world’s fifth, after the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany.

The country is a leader in wireless technologies, and Canadian companies operate in areas such as RFID, WiMAX, WiFi, fibre-optics, satellite and broadband applications. Major international telecom companies have presence in Canada, including Huawei, Nokia, and Alcatel-Lucent. Active research and development in next generation amplifiers and nanomaterials is also underway in the country.

Canada also has a competitive and expanding food processing sector and is world-renowned for its high quality wheat and grain products. Among the biggest income-earning crops are wheat, barley, rapeseed (canola), tobacco, fruits, and vegetables. The food distribution sector includes fast food operations, restaurants, grocery stores and supermarkets, etc. Canadian companies produce beef, fish and seafood products, processed/frozen fruits and vegetables, wine, beer, and other products.

Finally, the services sector is diverse and includes the financial services, retail sector, education, high-tech, health, tourism and entertainment. Canada is a leader in retail and institutional banking and financial management services. Thus, the combination of considerable natural resources, skilled workforce, and strong links with trading partners is the driving force of prosperity behind economic growth.

 

Read the text once more and try to fill the gaps from memory.

1. The … behind economic growth is the combination of several factors.

2. Canada also develops … and … technologies and wind-power generation projects.

3. We know that Canada is a global leader in solar-power …, development, and ….

4. Canadian companies have … in extruders for …, high-quality injection moulding, etc.

5. Most Canadian companies produce the biggest … crops like wheat, …, and rapeseed.

6. The services sector is … and includes the financial services, … sector, education, …, health, etc.

7. … industries supply commodities such as …, packaging papers, and ….

8. Some Canadian industries like … and … ones are among the country’s most important.

9. Canada is rich in …, particularly in gold, …, coal, and ….

10. The plastics sector is a … sector which … synthetic resins, machinery and plastic products.

 

Answer the following questions using the information from the text. Use some additional material if necessary.

1. What kind of country is Canada?

2. What is Canada’s economy dominated by?

3. What are the key industries of Canada’s economy?

4. What natural resource base does Canada have?

5. How can you characterize Canada’s main energy projects?

6. What two subsectors belong to the forest products industry?

7. Why is the plastics sector multi-faceted?

8. What does Canada have expertise in globally?

9. Which industry does Canada takes the world’s fifth place in?

10. What does Canada do in wireless technologies area?

11. What developments are underway in Canada?

12. What are the main features of the food processing sector?

13. How is the services sector characterised?

14. What is the driving force for Canada’s industry and economy?

 

Speak about Canada’s industry and economy (150-200 words). The above-mentioned questions and additional materials may help you.

 

Additional material

Economy of Canada

The Canadian economy is among the world’s soundest one. Canada is the seventh-largest trading nation among the industrialised market economies and an active partner in international investment.

Although Canada is known worldwide as a rich source of raw materials and primary products such as wheat, oil, lumber and minerals, in recent years the structure of the Canadian economy has changed. The services sector (community, business and personal) is now paramount, employing over 70% of the Canadian work force. The growing role of knowledge-based activity is forcing re-examination of educational priorities and retraining programmes.

Since World War II the development of Canada's manufacturing, mining, and service sectors has led to the creation of an affluent society. Services now account for 68.5% of the GDP, while industry accounts for 29%. Tourism and financial services represent some of Canada's most important industries within the service sector. Manufacturing, however, is Canada's single most important economic activity. The leading products are transportation equipment, chemicals, processed and unprocessed minerals, processed foods, wood and paper products, fish, petroleum, natural gas, electrical and electronic products, printed materials, machinery, and clothing. Industries are centered in Ontario, Quebec, and, to a lesser extent, British Columbia and Alberta. Canada's industries depend on the country's rich energy resources, which include hydroelectric power, petroleum (including extensive oil sands), natural gas, coal, and uranium.

Canada is a leading mineral producer, although much of its mineral resources are difficult to reach due to permafrost. It is the world's largest source of nickel, zinc, and uranium, and a major source of lead, asbestos, gypsum, potash, tantalum, and cobalt. Other important mineral resources are petroleum, natural gas, copper, gold, iron ore, coal, silver, diamonds, molybdenum, and sulfur. The mineral wealth is located in many areas; some of the most productive regions are Sudbury, Ont. (copper and nickel); Timmins, Ont. (lead, zinc, and silver); and Kimberley, British Columbia (lead, zinc, and silver). Petroleum and natural gas are found in Alberta and Saskatchewan.

Agriculture employs some 2% of the population and contributes a similar percentage of the GDP. The sources of the greatest farm income are livestock and dairy products. Among the biggest income-earning crops are wheat, barley, rapeseed (canola), tobacco, fruits, and vegetables. Canada is one of the world's leading agricultural exporters, especially of wheat. Manitoba, Saskatchewan, and Alberta are the great grain-growing provinces, and, with Ontario, are also the leading sources of beef cattle. The main fruit-growing regions are found in Ontario, British Columbia, Quebec, and Nova Scotia. Apples and peaches are the principal fruits grown in Canada. More than half of the total land area is forest, and Canadian timber production ranks among the highest in the world.

Fishing is an important economic activity in Canada. Cod and lobster from the Atlantic and salmon from the Pacific historically have been the principal catches, but the cod industry was halted in the mid-1990s due to overfishing. About 75% of the take is exported. The fur industry, once vitally important but no longer dominant in the nation's economy, is centered in Quebec and Ontario.

The United States is by far Canada's leading trade partner, followed by China and Mexico. Machinery and equipment, chemicals, and consumer goods comprise the bulk of imports; crude petroleum and motor vehicles and parts rank high among both the nation's largest imports and exports. Other important exports are industrial machinery, aircraft, telecommunications equipment, chemicals, plastics, fertilizers, forest products, natural gas, hydroelectric power, and aluminum.

 

 

AUSTRALIA

Рівень а