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Wednesday, February 18, 1998
For release at 8:30 a.m.
1997 (annual) and December 1997 (preliminary)
Wholesalers had strong sales in December, continuing the upward movement that began in January 1996. Due to high demand in both domestic and foreign markets, wholesalers sold 13.1% more goods and services in 1997 than in the previous year.
Chart: Wholesalers increased their sales
by 13.1% in 1997
Total sales by wholesalers increased 2.9% in December to $25.7 billion. Inventories reached $35.9 billion in December, up 0.8% from November. Except for a 0.2% decline in March 1997, inventories have been continuously increasing since August 1996, keeping pace with increasing sales. In December, stronger sales pushed down the inventories-to-sales ratio to 1.40 from 1.43 in November.
Annual sales by wholesalers amounted to $287.1 billion in 1997, up 13.1% from 1996. This was the largest annual increase since 1984 (+16.8%). However, the 1997 annual jump in sales was just above the 12.6% annual increase recorded by wholesalers in 1994. Wholesalers, which are part of the distribution chain between manufacturers, retailers and international markets, were very busy in 1997 due to high growth in each of these economic sectors.
Chart: Sales by wholesalers climbed 28.0%
since January 1996
Even with lower sales during the last few months of 1997, wholesalers of farm machinery and equipment reported an increase of 21.8% in annual sales. Since 1991, wholesale sales of farm machinery and equipment grew by more than 10% each year. Most of the strength in 1997 happened at the beginning of the year. A lump sum payment to grain farmers in the second half of 1996 and low interest rates, especially in the first half of 1997, made the purchase of new equipment more attractive. The Prairies, where most of wholesale sales of farm machinery and equipment take place, also had a very low unemployment rate in 1997.
Wholesale sales of motor vehicles and parts (+20.0%) and lumber and building materials (+19.5%) were also very strong in 1997, due to low interest rates and higher consumer confidence. In comparison, these two sectors reported an annual increase of about 3% in 1996. In 1997, the auto industry was stimulated by several new purchase incentive programs offered by dealers and by the arrival on the market of new sport utility vehicles. The number of new motor vehicles sold by dealers in 1997 rose 18.2% over 1996. Wholesalers of lumber and building materials profited from a 18.7% rise in the number of housing starts in 1997.
The metals, hardware, plumbing and heating equipment trade group (+6.4%) had the lowest annual increase of 1997. Wholesale sales of metals represent approximately 50% of all sales in that trade group. Wholesalers of metals were particularly affected by an oversupply on international markets and by lower demand from Asia in the last few months of 1997. Nevertheless, the 1997 increase was much better than the 1.7% advance registered in 1996. The high level of activity in residential construction for 1997 could have helped the hardware, plumbing and heating equipment component of the trade group.
Chart: Farm machinery and equipment led
the way in 1997
Record sales increases were reported by wholesalers in Saskatchewan (+26.3%), Alberta (+25.7%) and Manitoba (+22.1%) in 1997. The Prairies had the lowest unemployment rates in Canada during 1997. The agricultural sector played a major role in the good performance of wholesalers in all three provinces. The demise of grain transportation subsidies pushed farmers to grow crops of greater demand, which ultimately provided them with higher revenues. Wholesalers in Alberta benefited particularly from a booming oil industry.
Available on CANSIM: matrices 59, 61, 648 and 649.
The December 1997 issue of Wholesale trade (63-008-XPB, $19/$186) will be available shortly. See How to order publications.
For further information on this release, contact Paul Gratton (613-951-3541; Internet: gratpau@statcan.gc.ca) or Ruth Neveu (613-951-7375), Wholesale Trade Section, Distributive Trades Division.
Table: Wholesale merchants' sales and inventories
______________________________________________________________________________
Dec. 1996 Sept. 1997(r) Oct. 1997(r)
______________________________________________________________________________
seasonally adjusted
_______________________________________________
$ millions
_______________________________________________
Sales, all trade groups 21,839 24,479 24,999
Food products 3,719 4,043 4,131
Beverage, drug and
tobacco products 1,315 1,541 1,567
Apparel and dry goods 466 521 565
Household goods 706 762 793
Motor vehicles, parts
and accessories 2,382 2,820 3,030
Metals, hardware,
plumbing and heating
equipment and
supplies 1,671 1,784 1,804
Lumber and building
materials 1,918 2,158 2,176
Farm machinery,
equipment and
supplies 688 834 813
Industrial and other
machinery, equipment
and supplies 3,284 3,798 3,783
Computers, packaged
software and other
electronic machinery 2,139 2,369 2,451
Other products 3,551 3,849 3,885
Newfoundland 183 194 194
Prince Edward Island 46 50 49
Nova Scotia 492 510 535
New Brunswick 285 316 328
Quebec 4,737 4,966 5,108
Ontario 9,552 11,032 11,228
Manitoba 835 977 986
Saskatchewan 760 878 901
Alberta 2,198 2,641 2,687
British Columbia 2,728 2,888 2,953
Yukon 10 13 11
Northwest Territories 13 17 18
Inventories, all trade
groups 32,196 34,597 35,156
Food products 2,475 2,582 2,598
Beverage, drug and
tobacco products 1,652 1,815 1,833
Apparel and dry goods 1,055 1,112 1,127
Household goods 1,367 1,504 1,520
Motor vehicles, parts
and accessories 3,864 4,255 4,304
Metals, hardware,
plumbing and heating
equipment and
supplies 2,762 3,075 3,151
Lumber and building
materials 3,090 3,327 3,358
Farm machinery,
equipment and
supplies 1,783 2,065 2,068
Industrial and other
machinery, equipment
and supplies 7,213 7,755 7,946
Computers, packaged
software and other
electronic machinery 2,078 2,141 2,218
Other products 4,857 4,966 5,032
______________________________________________________________________________
Nov. 1997(r) Dec. 1997(p) Nov. to Dec.
1997
______________________________________________________________________________
seasonally adjusted
_______________________________________________
$ millions % change
______________________________ _____________
Sales, all trade groups 24,945 25,673 2.9
Food products 4,184 4,267 2.0
Beverage, drug and
tobacco products 1,568 1,620 3.3
Apparel and dry goods 542 553 2.0
Household goods 766 838 9.5
Motor vehicles, parts
and accessories 3,048 3,023 -0.8
Metals, hardware,
plumbing and heating
equipment and
supplies 1,795 1,854 3.3
Lumber and building
materials 2,156 2,350 9.0
Farm machinery,
equipment and
supplies 771 776 0.6
Industrial and other
machinery, equipment
and supplies 3,773 3,930 4.2
Computers, packaged
software and other
electronic machinery 2,508 2,561 2.1
Other products 3,834 3,901 1.7
Newfoundland 192 203 5.9
Prince Edward Island 43 46 5.3
Nova Scotia 530 525 -0.9
New Brunswick 326 334 2.5
Quebec 5,051 5,096 0.9
Ontario 11,151 11,584 3.9
Manitoba 1,099 1,087 -1.0
Saskatchewan 843 883 4.8
Alberta 2,720 2,931 7.8
British Columbia 2,964 2,955 -0.3
Yukon 12 12 -3.3
Northwest Territories 15 17 11.2
Inventories, all trade
groups 35,623 35,911 0.8
Food products 2,593 2,614 0.8
Beverage, drug and
tobacco products 1,901 1,927 1.4
Apparel and dry goods 1,142 1,154 1.1
Household goods 1,551 1,554 0.2
Motor vehicles, parts
and accessories 4,325 4,300 -0.6
Metals, hardware,
plumbing and heating
equipment and
supplies 3,155 3,219 2.0
Lumber and building
materials 3,418 3,430 0.3
Farm machinery,
equipment and
supplies 2,062 2,100 1.9
Industrial and other
machinery, equipment
and supplies 8,152 8,280 1.6
Computers, packaged
software and other
electronic machinery 2,281 2,284 0.1
Other products 5,043 5,049 0.1
______________________________________________________________________________
Dec. 1996 to
Dec. 1997
______________________________________________________________________________
seasonally
adjusted
% change
Sales, all trade groups 17.6
Food products 14.7
Beverage, drug and
tobacco products 23.2
Apparel and dry goods 18.7
Household goods 18.7
Motor vehicles, parts
and accessories 26.9
Metals, hardware,
plumbing and heating
equipment and
supplies 11.0
Lumber and building
materials 22.5
Farm machinery,
equipment and
supplies 12.8
Industrial and other
machinery, equipment
and supplies 19.7
Computers, packaged
software and other
electronic machinery 19.7
Other products 9.9
Newfoundland 11.0
Prince Edward Island -0.1
Nova Scotia 6.7
New Brunswick 17.0
Quebec 7.6
Ontario 21.3
Manitoba 30.2
Saskatchewan 16.2
Alberta 33.3
British Columbia 8.4
Yukon 16.3
Northwest Territories 27.3
Inventories, all trade
groups 11.5
Food products 5.6
Beverage, drug and
tobacco products 16.7
Apparel and dry goods 9.3
Household goods 13.7
Motor vehicles, parts
and accessories 11.3
Metals, hardware,
plumbing and heating
equipment and
supplies 16.6
Lumber and building
materials 11.0
Farm machinery,
equipment and
supplies 17.8
Industrial and other
machinery, equipment
and supplies 14.8
Computers, packaged
software and other
electronic machinery 9.9
Other products 3.9
______________________________________________________________________________
(r) Revised figures.
(p) Preliminary figures.
Table: Total annual wholesale sales
______________________________________________________________________________
1994 1995 1996
______________________________________________________________________________
$ millions
_______________________________________________
Sales, all trade groups 230,601 243,347 253,987
Food products 42,504 42,807 44,424
Beverage, drug and
tobacco products 13,176 14,195 15,903
Apparel and dry goods 5,534 5,334 5,444
Household goods 7,393 7,654 7,984
Motor vehicles, parts
and accessories 26,493 26,635 27,490
Metals, hardware,
plumbing and heating
equipment and
supplies 17,729 19,334 19,655
Lumber and building
materials 21,047 20,656 21,381
Farm machinery,
equipment and
supplies 5,364 6,015 7,607
Industrial and other
machinery, equipment
and supplies 35,402 37,229 38,237
Computers, packaged
software and other
electronic machinery 18,367 21,015 24,624
Other products 37,592 42,473 41,238
Newfoundland 2,186 2,233 2,240
Prince Edward Island 553 528 567
Nova Scotia 4,975 5,372 5,807
New Brunswick 3,164 3,462 3,578
Quebec 52,517 54,529 55,769
Ontario 97,273 105,909 110,719
Manitoba 7,625 8,156 9,290
Saskatchewan 7,171 8,121 8,203
Alberta 22,210 22,729 24,401
British Columbia 32,671 32,015 33,116
Yukon 110 126 133
Northwest Territories 148 167 164
______________________________________________________________________________
1997 1994 to 1995 1995 to 1996
______________________________________________________________________________
$ millions % change
_____________ ______________________________
Sales, all trade groups 287,137 5.5 4.4
Food products 48,184 0.7 3.8
Beverage, drug and
tobacco products 17,611 7.7 12.0
Apparel and dry goods 6,209 -3.6 2.1
Household goods 9,002 3.5 4.3
Motor vehicles, parts
and accessories 32,995 0.5 3.2
Metals, hardware,
plumbing and heating
equipment and
supplies 20,910 9.1 1.7
Lumber and building
materials 25,544 -1.9 3.5
Farm machinery,
equipment and
supplies 9,268 12.1 26.5
Industrial and other
machinery, equipment
and supplies 43,608 5.2 2.7
Computers, packaged
software and other
electronic machinery 27,440 14.4 17.2
Other products 46,366 13.0 -2.9
Newfoundland 2,298 2.2 0.3
Prince Edward Island 576 -4.5 7.4
Nova Scotia 6,081 8.0 8.1
New Brunswick 3,734 9.4 3.4
Quebec 59,403 3.8 2.3
Ontario 127,255 8.9 4.5
Manitoba 11,346 7.0 13.9
Saskatchewan 10,362 13.2 1.0
Alberta 30,665 2.3 7.4
British Columbia 35,098 -2.0 3.4
Yukon 138 14.5 5.6
Northwest Territories 182 12.8 -1.8
______________________________________________________________________________
1996 to 1997
______________________________________________________________________________
% change
Sales, all trade groups 13.1
Food products 8.5
Beverage, drug and
tobacco products 10.7
Apparel and dry goods 14.1
Household goods 12.8
Motor vehicles, parts
and accessories 20.0
Metals, hardware,
plumbing and heating
equipment and
supplies 6.4
Lumber and building
materials 19.5
Farm machinery,
equipment and
supplies 21.8
Industrial and other
machinery, equipment
and supplies 14.0
Computers, packaged
software and other
electronic machinery 11.4
Other products 12.4
Newfoundland 2.6
Prince Edward Island 1.6
Nova Scotia 4.7
New Brunswick 4.4
Quebec 6.5
Ontario 14.9
Manitoba 22.1
Saskatchewan 26.3
Alberta 25.7
British Columbia 6.0
Yukon 3.8
Northwest Territories 11.0
______________________________________________________________________________
1996/97
The number of adults behind bars or on some form of community supervision fell for the third straight year in 1996/97 after nearly a decade of rapid growth.
Overall, an average of 151,850 individuals were either in a federal or provincial/territorial institution or on probation or parole in 1996/97, down 1.5% from the previous year. However, this average daily caseload was still 38% higher than it was a decade ago. Since peaking in 1993/94, it has dropped 1.7%.
On any given day, about 34,167 adults were behind bars in Canada, an increase of 382 people, or about 1% over the previous year. While the population in custody remained virtually the same, the cost of holding an inmate for a year rose 3% from 1995/96 to an average of $43,643 per inmate.
In the last decade, about three out of four offenders served sentences on some type of community supervision program (mostly probation or parole), accounting for 12% of Canada's total corrections budget in 1996/97. In 1996/97, a monthly average of 117,683 adults were supervised in the community. About 84% were on probation and the rest on parole or statutory release. This total represented a 3% decrease from the previous year and was the third straight annual decline. During the previous 10 years, the number of offenders supervised in the community increased at twice the rate of the prison population.
Many factors can determine the size of Canada's correctional population, including changes in the demographic profile of the population, legislative changes, police enforcement practices, changes in the crime rate, sentencing practices and early release policies.
In the fall of 1996, Bill C-41 was proclaimed into law to reform the sentencing system in Canada. An important provision of the Bill was the creation of a new type of community-based alternative to imprisonment called a conditional sentence. A judge can sentence to a conditional term of imprisonment an offender who would otherwise have been sent to prison. Only persons sentenced to prison terms of less than two years are eligible to receive a conditional sentence. Conditional sentences permit an offender to serve custodial terms in the community under supervision. The objective is to provide less serious offenders with effective, less costly, community-based alternatives while using limited resources for the incarceration and treatment of more serious offenders.
Any decline in the inmate population as a result of the new disposition would be seen in the provincial/territorial and not the federal population (sentences of two years or more). Since the new conditional sentence was only in use for the last six months of the 1996/97 reporting year, it is too soon to know what impact it has on provincial/territorial prison populations.
Chart: Most offenders serve time in the
community
An average of 20,024 adults were in provincial/territorial jails at any time during 1996/97, down nearly 2% from the previous year. About 70% of these inmates were serving a sentence (14,031). The remaining 30% were either detained in custody awaiting a court disposition or were held on temporary detention.
The number of offenders in federal penitentiaries increased almost 1% over the same period to 14,143. However, over the last 10 years, the number of offenders in provincial/territorial institutions rose 25% while the number of federal inmates increased an even more substantial 34%.
Chart: Number of federal sentenced
offenders in custody continues to rise
The length of time served in prison by provincial/territorial inmates in 1996/97 was unchanged from the previous year - a median of 31 days. This means that half the inmates served more than 31 days and half served less. This median has changed little over the past five years.
Inmates in federal penitentiaries served an average sentence of 43 months in 1996/97, down from 46 months a year earlier. The federal terms reflect the more serious offences punishable by longer sentences.
The percentage of offenders sentenced to life terms of imprisonment, while still small, is growing. Admissions for life terms rose from 3% of all admissions in 1992/93 to 5% in 1996/97. In terms of numbers, this means an increase from 173 lifers admitted in 1992/93 to 210 in 1996/97.
Aboriginal Peoples were over represented in correctional institutions relative to their population. While they represented 3% of the general population, they accounted for 15% of federal admissions in 1996/97, up from 11% five years earlier. Similarly, Aboriginal Peoples made up 16% of the total provincial/territorial admissions in 1996/97.
Aboriginal Peoples accounted for 74% of admissions to custody in Saskatchewan, almost seven times their share of the province's population. Aboriginal Peoples also accounted for 65% of admissions in the Yukon, over three times their share of the territory's population, and 39% of admissions in Alberta, almost eight times their share of the population in that province.
In 1996/97, federal, provincial and territorial governments spent $1.97 billion on the corrections system compared with $1.88 billion five years earlier. Adjusting for inflation, total operating expenses increased a marginal 1% in 1996/97 from a year earlier.
Provincial/territorial governments spent an average $40,165 a year on each inmate in their jail systems in 1996/97, up 2% from the previous year. The average cost per inmate in federal penitentiaries rose 5% to $48,468. When adjusted for inflation, the average federal costs over the past five years increased 2% while provincial/territorial costs fell 7%.
Federal expenditures in 1996/97 reached $970 million, a 13% increasse since 1992/93 and up 7% when adjusted for inflation. Provincial/territorial expenditures dropped 2% to $998 million over the same five years, a decline of 8% when adjusted for inflation.
Table: Average daily count of provincial/territorial and federal offenders
______________________________________________________________________________
Custody Community Total
______________________________________________________________________________
1987-88 26,634 83,318 109,952
1988-89 27,466 81,859 109,325
1989-90 29,150 90,314 119,464
1990-91 29,233 99,658 128,891
1991-92 30,723 111,682 142,405
1992-93 31,709 120,116 151,825
1993-94 32,803 121,650 154,453
1994-95 33,759 120,542 154,301
1995-96 33,785 120,411 154,196
1996-97 34,167 117,683 151,850
______________________________________________________________________________
Available on CANSIM: tables 180701, 18073-180706.
Juristat: Adult correctional services in Canada, 1996/97, Vol. 18, no. 3 (85-002-XPE, $10/$93) is now available. See How to order publications.
For further information on this release, contact Information and Client Services (1 800 387-2231; 613-951-9023; fax: 613-951-6615), Canadian Centre for Justice Statistics.
1991 to 1996
Annual contributions to registered retirement savings plans rose steadily from about $15 billion in 1991 to more than $26 billion in 1996, a 74% increase. Over the same period, the number of contributors increased 28% from 4.7 million to almost 6 million.
Among the factors responsible for this growth were changes to the Income Tax Act in 1990, which increased RRSP contribution opportunities for most taxfilers, as well as improvements in the economy, notably employment growth since 1993. Growing concerns about the future of the Canada and Quebec Pension Plan and the Old Age Security/Guaranteed Income Supplement programs also encouraged greater RRSP participation. In addition, lower participation in employer-sponsored registered pension plans in recent years and growth in group RRSPs likely played a role.
RRSP contributions varied widely among provinces and territories. In 1995, more than 90% of taxfilers in the Yukon and the Northwest Territories were eligible to contribute to an RRSP, the highest rate in Canada and well above the national average of 80%. Among the provinces, eligibility rates ranged from highs of 84% in Alberta and 83% in Prince Edward Island to a low of 77% in Manitoba.
However, in terms of participation, only 35% of all eligible taxfilers in Canada actually made a contribution in 1995. Participation was highest in Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, where almost 4 of every 10 eligible people contributed. Participation was well below the national average in each of the four Atlantic provinces and in the territories.
Taxfilers in the two territories set aside much more money than their counterparts in the rest of Canada in 1995. The average normal contribution was $4,632 in the Northwest Territories and $4,065 in the Yukon. Taxfilers in British Columbia ($3,875) and Ontario ($3,749) contributed the highest amounts among the provinces.
Pre-retirement withdrawals from RRSPs rose from $3.2 billion to $4.4 billion between 1991 and 1996. Similarly, the number of persons making withdrawals increased from 604,000 to 851,000. Most of this increase occurred during the lean economic period between 1991 and 1994. Between 1991 and 1994, Canadians cashed in one dollar of RRSP savings for every $5 contributed. In 1996, 85 cents was cashed in for every $5.
From 1991 to 1997, the number of taxfilers with RRSP room increased a third to 19 million. Meanwhile the amount of RRSP room grew nearly five-fold from $45 billion to more than $216 billion - largely because of unused room in one year being carried forward to the next. (RRSP room represents the deduction limit or maximum RRSP contribution amount Canadians can claim in a given year.)
There are indications that at least some of the accumulated room is being used up by a growing number of taxfilers. The proportion of total room used decreased annually from 1991 to 1995, but levelled off at 12% in 1996. One reason for this standstill in 1996 was the reduction of the maximum dollar amount of new room credited to taxfilers that year, from $14,500 to $13,500.
A large proportion of unused RRSP room is held by taxfilers under the age of 45 and by those with low incomes. Taxfilers who use their room, on the other hand, tend to be 45 to 64 and have an income of $40,000 and over.
The first members of the baby boom generation have recently entered the ages where usage of RRSP room is greatest and will be followed by many more for some time. Whether this will result in a substantial depletion of accumulated RRSP room with consequent tax implications remains to be seen.
The articles "RRSP contributions and withdrawals: An update" and "Tapping unused RRSP room" will be published in the Spring 1998 issue of Perspectives on labour and income (75-001-XPE, $18/$58), which will be available in March. The articles are available by fax ($40) immediately.
For further information on the article "RRSP contributions and withdrawals: An update", contact Ernest B. Akyeampong (613-951-4624), Labour and Household Surveys Analysis Division. For information on "Tapping unused RRSP room", contact Hubert Frenken (613-828-4581). To obtain copies of the articles, contact Jeannine Usalcas (613-951-4628), Labour and Household Surveys Analysis Division.
Table: Normal RRSP eligibility, participation rates and average
contributions, by province/territory
1995
______________________________________________________________________________
All taxfilers Eligible Eligibility(1)
taxfilers rate
______________________________________________________________________________
'000 %
______________________________ _____________
Canada 20,028 16,047 80.1
Newfoundland 380 305 80.4
Prince Edward Island 93 77 83.0
Nova Scotia 632 502 79.4
New Brunswick 528 417 79.0
Quebec 4,995 3,948 79.0
Ontario 7,490 6,020 80.4
Manitoba 778 601 77.2
Saskatchewan 655 521 79.5
Alberta 1,824 1,534 84.1
British Columbia 2,577 2,060 79.9
Yukon 18 17 91.6
Northwest Territories 36 33 92.1
______________________________________________________________________________
Contributors Participatio-(2) Average
n rate amount
contributed
______________________________________________________________________________
'000 % $
Canada 5,650 35.2 3,537
Newfoundland 63 20.8 2,948
Prince Edward Island 19 24.6 3,113
Nova Scotia 135 27.0 3,101
New Brunswick 102 24.5 3,192
Quebec 1,323 33.5 3,174
Ontario 2,213 36.8 3,749
Manitoba 216 35.9 2,997
Saskatchewan 200 38.3 3,311
Alberta 583 38.0 3,597
British Columbia 777 37.7 3,875
Yukon 5 30.1 4,065
Northwest Territories 11 31.8 4,632
______________________________________________________________________________
(1) Proportion of taxfilers with normal contribution room.
(2) Contributors to normal RRSPs as a percentage of eligible taxfilers.
December 1997 (preliminary)
Natural gas sales totalled 7 159 million cubic metres in December, down 8.7% from December 1996. Warmer than normal weather conditions throughout most of the country resulted in sharply lowers sales to the residential (-15.8%) and commercial (-20.7%) sectors. Sales to the industrial sector (including direct sales) increased 1.8% from the same period of 1996.
Year-to-date sales were up 0.3% from the same period in 1996. Sales decreased to the residential (-4.7%) and commercial (-6.7%) sectors because of milder weather during the 1997 heating season. Sales to the industrial sector (including direct sales) continued strong growth, posting a 5.1% increase from the same period last year.
Available on CANSIM: matrices 1052-1055.
The December 1997 issue of Gas utilities (55-002-XPB, $17/$165) will be available in March. See How to order publications.
Table: Sales of natural gas
______________________________________________________________________________
Dec. 1997(p) Dec. 1996 Dec. 1996 to
Dec. 1997
______________________________________________________________________________
thousands of cubic metres % change
______________________________ _____________
Total 7 158 535 7 844 320 -8.7
Residential 2 076 837 2 466 350 -15.8
Commercial 1 391 503 1 754 369 -20.7
Industrial 2 096 560 2 336 035
1.8
Direct 1 593 635 1 287 566
______________________________________________________________________________
1997(p) 1996 1996 to 1997
______________________________________________________________________________
thousands of cubic metres % change
______________________________ _____________
Natural gas sales 67 312 861 67 095 572 0.3
Residential 16 638 895 17 466 422 -4.7
Commercial 11 717 836 12 558 341 -6.7
Industrial 24 310 888 24 525 747
5.1
Direct 14 645 242 12 545 062
______________________________________________________________________________
(p) Preliminary figures.
For further information on this release, contact Gary Smalldridge (613-951-3567; Internet: smalgar@statcan.gc.ca), Energy Section, Manufacturing, Construction and Energy Division.
1996 (final data)
Average net operating income (before depreciation) of farm businesses increased 1.8% to $23,977 per farm in 1996. Average operating revenues rose 5.0% to $145,837 and average operating expenses increased 5.8% to $121,860.
The average net operating income of potato farms was $58,607 in 1996, about the same as in 1995 ($58,560). However, combination livestock farms posted the best results, with average net operating income of $73,238, up 28.2% over 1995. Hog farms reported the largest rise in average net operating income (+49.2%).
Grain and oilseed farms, which accounted for 45.1% of all farms in 1996, underperformed most other farm types in terms of average operating revenues. The lower average net operating income of grain and oilseed farms, relative to several other farm types, can be attributed to lower average operating revenues rather than to low operating margins.
Producers in Prince Edward Island posted the highest average net operating income ($28,976 per farm). However, this was 17.2% lower than in 1995 when net income totalled $35,003 (the decline was primarily due to a 38% drop in average net operating income of potato farms). Quebec and Alberta followed Price Edward Island, with average net operating income of $27,142 and $24,717 respectively.
The relatively high average net operating income of Quebec producers can be partly explained by the high operating margin of dairy farms (24.0 cents per dollar of revenue), which accounted for 34.2% of farms in the province in 1996. Quebec ranked third in terms of operating margins (15.7 cents per dollar of revenue), after Alberta and Saskatchewan. In Alberta, the average net operating income increased by 14.9% - the highest rise among the provinces. Producers in Saskatchewan had the highest operating margin (22.3 cents per dollar of revenue).
In 1996, New Brunswick farmers benefited from significant growth (+13.8%) in their average net operating income. This increase was partly due to higher average operating revenues (+1.9%), as operating expenses were virtually unchanged.
Note: The estimates cover unincorporated farms with gross operating revenues of $10,000 and more, and incorporated farms with total farm sales of $25,000 and over. Agricultural activities on these farms must account for 51% or more of sales. The estimates also include communal farming organizations. Net operating income refers to the profit (or loss) from farm operations based on total operating revenues including all program payments less total operating expenses before depreciation. Operating margin is defined as one dollar less operating expenses per dollar of revenue. For tax purposes, farmers may deduct any amount up to the maximum after the calculation of the allowable depreciation. Depreciation data obtained from income tax returns are considered inappropriate for estimating actual depreciation expenses. For this reason, the net operating income is reported before depreciation. These estimates maintain their relevance only when compared with other statistics produced using the same definitions and concepts.
Table: Average net operating income per farm (before depreciation) and
operating margins
______________________________________________________________________________
Average net 1995 to 1996 Operating
operating margins
income 1996
______________________________________________________________________________
dollars % change cents
Type of farm
Livestock combination 73,238 28.2 23.0
Potato 58,607 0.0 15.0
Tobacco 53,018 -12.2 23.5
Dairy 46,085 -5.1 23.0
Poultry and eggs 44,337 -16.2 7.8
Hogs 41,497 49.2 11.2
Greenhouse and nursery 39,556 -5.4 10.7
Grain and oilseed 26,192 5.7 23.9
Fruit and vegetable 19,850 -7.0 14.1
Other farm types 9,635 -17.7 11.5
Cattle 8,019 -8.6 6.7
Total 23,977 1.8 16.4
______________________________________________________________________________
For further information, contact Gaétan St-Louis (613-951-8722), Agriculture Division.
Fourth quarter 1997
The fourth quarter of 1997 saw a record high number of Canadian employer businesses. This business population count increased by 0.51% from the third quarter to 951,918.
The seasonally adjusted number of Remitting Payroll Deduction Accounts recorded gains in all provinces and territories except for the Northwest Territories (-0.10%). The largest gains were in Alberta (+1.05%), Nova Scotia (+0.78%) and Prince Edward Island (+0.72).
Available on CANSIM: matrix 1420.
For further information on this release, contact Des Beckstead (613-951-6199; fax: 613-951-6274; Internet: beckste@statcan.gc.ca), Business Register Division.
January 1998
In January, the Construction Union Wage Rate Index (including supplements) remained unchanged from December at 110.9 (1992=100). On a year-over-year basis, the index increased by 3.2% compared with the January 1997 index.
Note: Union wage rates are published for 16 trades in 20 metropolitan areas for both the basic rates and rates including selected supplementary payments. Indexes on a 1992=100 time base are calculated for the same metropolitan areas and are published for those where a majority of trades are covered by current collective agreements.
Available on CANSIM: matrices 956, 958 and 9922-9927.
Matrices 2033 to 2038 on a 1986=100 time base have been terminated with the release of December 1997 indexes.
The fourth quarter 1997 issue of Construction price statistics (62-007-XPB, $24/$79) will be available in March. See How to order publications.
For further information on this release, contact Elvira Marinelli (613-951-3350, Internet: infounit@statcan.gc.ca, fax: 613-951-2848) Client Services Unit, Prices Division.
January 1998
January 1998 figures are now available for the selected financial indexes on a 1992=100 time base.
Available on CANSIM: matrix 9928.
Matrix 2031 on a 1986=100 time base has been terminated with the release of December 1997 indexes.
The fourth quarter 1997 issue of Construction price statistics (62-007-XPB, $24/$79), will be available in March. See How to order publications.
For further information on this release, contact Elvira Marinelli (613-951-3350; fax: 613-951-2848; Internet: infounit@statcan.gc.ca.), Client Services Unit, Prices Division.
December 1997
Firms produced 147 334 cubic metres of construction type plywood during December 1997 up 5.5% from the 139 689 cubic metres produced during December 1996.
January-to-December 1997 production totalled 1 828 354 cubic metres, up 0.8% from the 1 814 103 cubic metres produced during the same period in 1996.
Available on CANSIM: matrix 122 (level 1).
The December 1997 issue of the Construction type plywood (35-001-XPB, $6/$60) will be available shortly. See How to order publication.
For more information on this release, contact Ted Brown (604-666-3694), Pacific Region.
February 1, 1998 (preliminary)
Data for stocks of frozen poultry meat in cold storage as of February 1, 1998, are now available.
Available on CANSIM: matrices 5675-5677.
For further information on this release, contact Sandra Gielfeldt (613-951-2505), Livestock and Animal Products Section, Agriculture Division.
Updated Consumer Price Index (CPI) weights based on the 1996 Family Expenditure Survey are now available. These weights will be used for the first time in the construction of the January 1998 CPI to be released February 27, 1998.
For further information, contact Sandra Shadlock (613-951-9606; fax: (613-951-2848; Internet: infounit@statcan.gc.ca), Prices Division.
1991 to 1996
Today, Statistics Canada releases two articles, "RRSP contributions and withdrawals: An update", and "Tapping unused RRSP room." These articles examine the most recent data available on registered retirement savings plan contributions, withdrawals and unused room. These articles, available by fax immediately, will be published in the Spring 1998 issue of Perspectives on labour and income (75-001-XPE, $18/$58) in March.
"RRSP contributions and withdrawals: An update" examines factors behind the rapid growth in RRSP contributions since 1991 and explains how and why the composition of contributions has changed. It also provides data on regional differences in RRSP participation and traces pre-retirement withdrawals from the plan in recent years.
"Tapping unused RRSP room" examines how much room has accumulated since 1991, who uses this room, and the possible effects of changing demographics on future room.
For further information on contributions and withdrawals, contact Ernest B. Akyeampong (613-951-4624). For information on tapping unused RRSP room, contact Hubert Frenken (613-828-4581). To order the articles by fax ($40), contact Jeannine Usalcas (613-951-4628), Labour and Household Surveys Analysis Division.
Pulpwood and wood residue statistics, December 1997
Catalogue number 25-001-XPB
(Canada: $8/$73; outside Canada: US$8/US$73).
Monthly Survey of Manufacturing, December 1997
Catalogue number 31-001-XPB
(Canada: $20/$196; outside Canada: US$20/US$196).
Oils and fats, December 1997
Catalogue number 32-006-XPB
(Canada: $7/$62; outside Canada: US$7/US$62).
Footwear statistics, quarter ended December 1997
Catalogue number 33-002-XPB
(Canada: $8/$25; outside Canada: US$8/US$25).
Rubber and plastic products industries, 1995
Catalogue number 33-250-XPB
(Canada: $40; outside Canada: US$40).
Particleboard, oriented strandboard and fibreboard, December 1997
Catalogue number 36-003-XPB
(Canada: $7/$62; outside Canada: US$7/US$62).
Primary iron and steel, December 1997
Catalogue number 41-001-XPB
(Canada: $7/$62; outside Canada: US$7/US$62).
Refined petroleum products, November 1997
Catalogue number 45-004-XPB
(Canada: $21/$206; outside Canada: US$21/US$206).
Energy statistics handbook, February 1998
Catalogue number 57-601-UPB
(Canada: $387; outside Canada: US$387).
Industry price indexes, December 1997
Catalogue number 62-011-XPB
(Canada: $22/$217; outside Canada: US$22/US$217).
Touriscope, International travel: Advance information, Vol. 13, no. 12
Catalogue number 66-001-PPB
(Canada: $8/$73; outside Canada: US$8/US$73).
Juristat, Adult correctional services in Canada, 1996/97, Vol. 18, no. 3
Catalogue number 85-002-XPE
(Canada: $10/$93; outside Canada: US$10/US$93).
Juristat, Adult correctional services in Canada, 1996/97, Vol. 18, no. 3
Catalogue number 85-002-XIE
(Canada: $7; outside Canada: US$7).
All prices exclude sales tax.