Chemical industry in Canada - statistics & facts

The Canadian chemical industry is comprised of a range of firms that specialize in the treatment and conversion of various substances for the production of chemical products. Canada’s chemicals sector output is diverse and includes basic chemicals, pharmaceuticals, agricultural chemicals, and paints and adhesives, among other products. As one of the country’s largest industries, the chemicals sector is vital to Canada’s economy. In 2021, chemical industry shipments had a total value of 64.4 billion Canadian dollars. Moreover, the industry is a significant provider of jobs, employing some 78,500 people in 2021. The industry has far-reaching ties, with trading partners located throughout the globe.

Imports and exports

Imports and exports of the Canadian chemical industry have seen steady growth since the turn of the century. In 2021, imports and exports amounted to 72.9 and 41.6 billion Canadian dollars, respectively. The United States is Canada’s largest trading partner for both imports and exports. Canadian chemical exports to its southern neighbor amounted to nearly 36 billion Canadian dollars in 2021, while exports to China, the second leading destination for Canadian chemicals, amounted to 1.5 billion Canadian dollars. In terms of export value, pharmaceuticals is the largest segment for worldwide chemical exports from Canada, with this figure more than tripling between 2010 and 2020.

Major industry players

As of 2022, Nutrien was by far the leading chemical company headquartered in Canada in terms of market capitalization. The Saskatchewan-based firm is the global leader in the production of crop inputs, including nitrogen, phosphate, and potash. Another key player in the Canadian chemicals sector is Vancouver-based Methanex. As the worldwide leader in the production of methanol, Methanex’s products find applications in a wide variety of industries including construction, energy, and textiles. With regard to concentration of chemical operations, Ontario is home to Canada’s largest chemical manufacturing sector, with operations from 9 out of the world’s largest 15 chemical firms located there.
This text provides general information. Statista assumes no liability for the information given being complete or correct. Due to varying update cycles, statistics can display more up-to-date data than referenced in the text.
Published by Statista Research Department, Apr 14, 2023

Key insights

Value of Canada's chemical shipments
72.7bn CAD
Consumption of chemicals in Canada
66.9bn CAD
Chemical industry R&D investment in Canada
364m CAD
Get more insights

Editor’s Picks Current statistics on this topic

Total revenue of the chemical industry worldwide from 2005 to 2022 (in billion U.S. dollars)

Chemical Industry

Revenue of the global chemical industry 2005-2022

Imports and exports of the Canadian chemical industry from 2000 to 2022 (in billion Canadian dollars)

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Canadian chemical industry exports and imports 2000-2022

Nutrien's revenue from 2017 to 2022 (in million U.S. dollars)

Agricultural Chemistry

Nutrien's revenue 2017-2022

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