Manufacturing Shipments by Development Region

Topic Box from the 2006 Sixth Annual Benchmark Report

Description
This indicator is a measure of manufacturing activity per capita in thousands of 1992 dollars. The major sources of BC's manufacturing shipments are: wood products, paper products, food and fabricated metal & machinery. Wood products is the largest at 30.9% of total manufacturing shipments, followed by paper products at 13.9%, food manufacturing at 11.9% and fabricated metal products and machinery manufacturing at a combined 9.8%. Taken together, these industries were responsible for 66.5% of BC manufacturing shipments in 2004.

Why it's Important
This indicator plays a vital role in measuring an area's overall economic activity.

Analysis
The Cariboo and Nechako Development Regions had the highest real per capita manufacturing shipments in 2003 at $19,718 and $18,557, respectively, and the highest 1999-2003 average values as well. The Vancouver Island & Coast Development Region had the lowest level of manufacturing shipments in 2003 at $4,540 and for 1999-2003 at $5,090.

Note: The survey used to collect these data was expanded to include all manufacturing units effective 2000; this results in a break in the above series. Statistics Canada notes that the additional establishments represent less than 5% of total revenue from the sale of manufactured goods.