Glossary

Warning View the most recent version.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.

Basic prices. A basic price valuation includes the costs of production factors (labour and capital) and indirect taxes and subsidies on production factors.

Business sector. All transactors producing goods and services for sale at a price intended to cover costs of production, namely corporations, government business enterprises, unincorporated businesses and independent professional practitioners.

Canada and Quebec pension plans. The part of the government sector which consists of the operations of the Canada and Quebec pension plans, established in 1966.

Contributions to social insurance plans. Employer and employee contributions to employment insurance, the Canada and Quebec pension plans and workers’ compensation.

Corporate and government business enterprise sector. All business transactors whose legal form of organization is the corporation, plus government business enterprises.

Current transfers from persons and unincorporated businesses to government. Income taxes, contributions to social insurance plans and other current transfers.

Government business enterprises. Government enterprises and agencies which operate on a profit or cost recovery basis and whose motivation is similar to that of private enterprises. Their total profits (net of losses) are recorded in GDP, while only the profits remitted to government are recorded in the government income and expenditure account, under government investment income.

Government investment income. In GDP, includes interest and royalties. In the government income and expenditure account, it also includes the profits of government business enterprises remitted to government. See government business enterprises.

Government sales of goods and services. Revenues from the sale of goods and services, such as water charges, landing fees and charges for government documents.

Government sector. All departments, agencies, and funds (budgetary and non-budgetary) of the federal, provincial and local levels of government, as well as crown corporations which receive more than 50% of their revenues in grants from their parent governments. Also included are school boards, universities, non-profit colleges, hospitals, non-profit residential care facilities, as well as the Canada and Quebec pension plans.

Gross Domestic Product. The total unduplicated value of the goods and services produced in the economic territory of a country or region during a given period. GDP can be measured three ways: as total incomes earned in current production, as total final sales of current production, or as total net values added in current production.

Market prices. A valuation expressed in terms of the prices actually paid by the purchaser, that is, including indirect taxes less subsidies.

Mixed income. Mixed income is a balancing item in the industry accounts of input-output accounts representing the return to both self-employed labour and capital of the unincorporated business. Mixed Income consists of earnings of proprietors of unincorporated businesses (sole proprietorships and partnerships) such as retailers and consultants, earnings of independent professional practitioners such as lawyers and dentists, net (after expenses) rental income of owners of real property and the accrued net farm income of farm operators.

Net income of unincorporated business. The earnings of unincorporated proprietors, except farm operators, from their own business. It includes the net income of unincorporated businesses and self-employed individuals, as well as the net rental income of persons.

Other current transfers from persons to government. Transfers not classified as income taxes or contributions to social insurance plans. Includes hospital and medical care insurance premiums, various licences and permits, (hunting and fishing licenses, marriage licenses, etc.) fines and penalties, the personal portion of motor vehicle licenses and permits, as well as donations to entities within the government sector.

Other operating surplus. The income from production other than labour or mixed income. It includes depreciation and profit.

Subsidies. Transfers from government to the business sector toward current costs of production. These transfers represent additions to the income of producers from current production. Subsidies can be linked to production factors or products.

Taxes on factors of production. These are mandatory payments without consideration, in cash or in kind, collected by government. They apply to employment of labour and ownership or use of land, structures and other assets used for production purposes. They are payable regardless of the quantity or value of the goods and services produced or sold.

Taxes on products. These are mandatory payments without consideration, collected by government on the sale of goods and services. These taxes include sales taxes, fuel taxes, import duties and taxes, excise taxes on tobacco and alcohol.

Tourism.  The definition of tourism used in the National Tourism Indicators and the Canadian Tourism Satellite Account is that adopted by the World Tourism Organization and the United Nations Statistical Commission: “the activities of persons travelling to and staying in places outside their usual environment for not more than one consecutive year for leisure, business and other purposes.”

Tourism commodity. A good or service for which a significant part of its total demand in Canada comes from tourists.

Tourism commodity ratio: The ratio of demand to supply for a given tourism commodity measures the proportion of a tourism commodity that is actually purchased by tourists.

Tourism demand. The spending of Canadian and non-resident visitors on domestically produced commodities.  Total tourism demand is the sum of domestic demand and international demand.

Tourism domestic demand. The spending in Canada by Canadian visitors on domestically produced commodities.

Tourism domestic supply of tourism commodities. The total production in Canada of the tourism commodities that are mainly produced by tourism industries. Not all of domestic supply is purchased by visitors, so that supply exceeds tourism demand. For example, tourists purchase only a small proportion of food and beverage services, with most going to local consumption. Also, domestic supply does not include imports. For example the sale of a ticket on a non-Canadian airline is excluded from domestic supply.

Tourism employment. Tourism employment is a measure of employment in tourism and non-tourism industries. It is based on an estimate of jobs rather than “hours of work”. Thus, someone who works 10 hours a week counts for as much, by this measure, as someone who works 50 hours a week.

Tourism exports. The spending by foreign visitors on Canadian produced goods and services. It includes spending that may take place outside of Canada, for instance, the purchase of an airline ticket from a Canadian international carrier, to travel to Canada.

Tourism industry. Tourism Industry is an industry which as a direct result of the absence of tourism would cease to exist or would continue to exist only at significantly reduced levels of activity. Some industries may be affected by the absence of tourism but not directly, for example the absence of tourism would greatly affect the air transportation industry and thus indirectly the catering industry. Tourism industries are passenger transportation, accommodation, food and beverage services, recreation and entertainment and travel services.

Report a problem on this page

Is something not working? Is there information outdated? Can't find what you're looking for?

Please contact us and let us know how we can help you.

Privacy notice

Date modified: