Not Dutch Disease, it's China Syndrome

Abstract

This paper empirically investigates how the Canadian economy has evolved following the rise in commodity prices and appreciation of the Canadian dollar that began in 2003. The adjustment in the manufacturing industry has garnered the greatest attention because it has borne the brunt of job losses. However, the adjustment of the manufacturing industry has not been straightforward. Rather, a complex reallocation has been taking place within manufacturing that has been predominantly due to the integration of emerging nations into the global economy. The increased commodity prices and falling manufactured prices caused by this integration have affected durable and non-durable manufacturing industries differently. Non-durable manufacturers have tended to see their competitiveness eroded and their output has tended to fall. Durable manufacturers, on the other hand, have increased output in response to the resource boom and increased demand in general. The result has been stable manufacturing output overall, accompanied by a re-orientation of manufacturing output away from non-durables and toward durables. The appreciated dollar and higher commodity prices have also led to a more widespread industrial reallocation in Canada. The higher commodity prices have started a resource boom, particularly in Alberta. The boom has led to rising resource industry employment, while manufacturing employment declined, and to rising service-sector employment. It has contributed to inter-provincial migration, and has greatly increased the purchasing power of Canadian incomes as terms of trade have improved.