A Detailed Analysis of Productivity Trends in the Forest Products Sector in Quebec, 2000-2013: Adversity Drives Productivity

Jasmin Thomas

No 2015-05, CSLS Research Reports from Centre for the Study of Living Standards

Abstract: The Quebec forest products sector has had an above-average productivity performance in the 2000-2013 period, driven in particular by the forestry and logging subsector. While the wood product manufacturing subsector has also benefited from strong productivity gains, the productivity performance of the paper manufacturing subsector has been far from impressive. This report provides a detailed analysis of output, input and productivity trends in the Canadian forest products sector. It also looks at the key drivers of productivity in the sector, investigating potential barriers to productivity growth and discussing policies that could enable faster growth. Given the increasing role of countries with low-labour costs in several forest product markets, maintaining robust productivity growth is an imperative for the Quebec forest products sector if it wants to remain competitive internationally. In this vein, the report recommends a renewed focus on human and physical capital investment, as well as on R&D spending and the introduction of new innovative products.

Keywords: Productivity; Growth; Forestry; Canada; Research and Development; Capital Intensity; Human Capital; Physical Capital; Wood Product Manufacturing; Paper Manufacturing; Forest Products Sector; Quebec (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D24 E23 J00 J08 O13 O30 O51 Q20 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eff and nep-mac
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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