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Structure and trends
Despite the transformations now rippling through the Canadian marketplace,
the most dramatic structural change our economy has undergone is the rise
of the services sector. Though our goods-producing industries account
for 33% of our national economy, the Canadian services sector is much
larger, employing three out of four Canadians and generating two-thirds
of our gross domestic product.
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Delivery by truck
Photo: Comstock |
What exactly makes up the Canadian services sector? It is easy to picture
the physical products churned out by our manufacturing, agriculture, mining,
forestry and construction industries, but the value of the services sector
is less tangible. Goods need to be delivered, and this involves storage
services, truck drivers, rail carriers and bicycle couriers. The actual
exchange of goods often requires legal and financial services to process
the transactions. Canadians also want to shop, eat out and be entertained
by movies, operas, concerts and ballets. And nearly every aspect of government
activity—from health care to education to national defence—is
a service provided to Canadian citizens.
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