China’s Economic Impact on Canada:
Trade, Investment, and Immigration

Canada and China have a strong history of economic connection and, through its rise to prominence over recent decades, China has become Canada’s second most important national economic partner, after the United States.

Given the many countries re-evaluating their relationships with China, weighing the benefits of engagement and the costs of diversifying or decoupling, this report aims to provide a comprehensive account of China’s role in the Canadian economy. The relationship between Canada and China is complex and nuanced. Some elements are easily quantifiable, while others must be explained qualitatively. Our goal is to provide an objective overview of the bilateral economic relationship to help policy makers and stakeholders better understand this important relationship, with data to aid evidence-based assessment and strategy development.

Authored by the China Institute at the University of Alberta (CIUA) and commissioned by the Canada China Business Council (CCBC), the report, which focuses primarily on China-Canada trade, immigration, and investment, concludes that China has a significant impact on Canadian GDP, employment, and overall economic activity. In 2018, for example, the direct GDP impact of China-related exports, new immigration, and Canada-bound investment totalled $42.6 billion, $6.1 billion, and $9.4 billion, respectively. Given the overlaps in these figures, the cumulative GDP effect of measurable China-related impacts likely exceeded $55 billion.

For more information on these organizations or this report, please contact Alyssa Dalton, Director of Communications, at communications@ccbc.com or Genevieve Ongaro, Design and Communications Specialist, at genevieve.ongaro@ualberta.ca.