Canada's Economy

• Service industries
  provide thousands of different jobs in areas like transportation, education, health care, construction, banking, communications, retail services, tourism and government. More than 75% of working Canadians now have jobs in service industries.

• Manufacturing industries
  make products to sell in Canada and around the world. Manufactured products include paper, high technology equipment, aerospace technology, automobiles, machinery, food, clothing and many other goods. Our largest international trading partner is the United States.

• Natural resource industries
  include forestry, fishing, agriculture, mining and energy. These industries have played an important part in the country's history and development. Today, the economy of many areas of the country still depends on developing natural resources, and a large percentage of Canada's exports are natural resource commodities.

Canada enjoys close relations with the United States and each is the other's largest trading partner. Over three-quarters of Canadian exports are destined for the U.S.A. In fact we have the biggest bilateral trading relationship in the world. Integrated Canada-U.S. supply chains compete with the rest of the world. Canada exports billions of dollars worth of energy products, industrial goods, machinery, equipment, automotive, agricultural, fishing and forestry products, and consumer goods every year. Millions of Canadians and Americans cross every year and in safety what is traditionally known as "the world's longest undefended border."

At Blaine in the State of Washington, the Peace Arch, inscribed with the words "children of a common mother" and "brethren dwelling together in unity," symbolizes our close ties and common interests.