Québec, January 19, 2021. – Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise exports in constant dollars were up 3.0% in November 2020 from the previous month. Despite this sixth increase in seven months, the level of exports in November 2020 was 4.9% lower than in February, before the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic were felt.
The increase in November was mainly due to higher exports of aircraft (+43.5%), iron ores and concentrates (+32.5%), and other metal ores and concentrates not elsewhere classified (+346.2%).
However, Québec’s exports of lubricants and other petroleum refinery products
(-94.6%), gold, silver and platinum group metals and their alloys (-69.1%) and light fuel oils (-85.9%) posted significant declines in November.
In the first eleven months of 2020, Québec’s international merchandise exports in constant dollars declined 9.0% compared with the same period last year.
Québec’s international merchandise imports up 0.3% in November 2020
Québec’s seasonally adjusted international merchandise imports in constant dollars were up 0.3% in November 2020 from the previous month (down 3.5% in October). With this increase, the level of imports in November 2020 was 1.3% higher than in February.
The main commodities that contributed to the increase in imports in November were motor gasoline (+66.9%), lubricants and other petroleum refinery products (+230.1%) and aircraft, whose import level rose significantly due to the delivery of an airliner.
In contrast, imports of light-duty trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles (-8.8%), bauxite and aluminum oxide (-25.4%) and conventional crude oil (-5.8%) declined in November.
In the first eleven months of 2020, Québec’s international merchandise imports in constant dollars fell 15.8% compared with the same months of 2019.
The situation in Canada
According to data published by Statistics Canada on January 7, Canada’s seasonally adjusted merchandise exports in constant dollars rose 1.6% in November 2020 from the previous month. For their part, Canadian merchandise imports declined 1.1% in November.
In the first eleven months of 2020, Canada’s merchandise exports decreased by 7.0% compared with the same period last year, while its merchandise imports declined by 9.8%.
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International merchandise exports and imports1 (percentage change) |
|||||
| 2019 | 2020 | ||||
| Annual change | Monthly change2 | Cumulative change2,3 | |||
| October | November | ||||
| Québec | |||||
| Exports | 0.3 | 0.0 | 3.0 | -9.0 | |
| Imports | 2.7 | -3.5 | 0.3 | -15.8 | |
| Canada | |||||
| Exports | 2.4 | 0. 9 | 1.6 | -7.0 | |
| Imports | 1.3 | 2.7 | -1.1 | -9.8 | |
|
1. In constant dollars, at 2012 prices. |
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Useful links
- International trade - Monthly data
- International Trade Data Online: A tool for generating customized reports
Next release: February 24, 2021
The Institut de la statistique du Québec produces, analyzes and disseminates official, objective and quality statistical information on various aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and all those wishing to learn more about Québec.