Magazine and newspaper trade deficit with U.S.has grown 18% since 2000

Canada's balance of trade deficit with the United States in newpapers and periodicals (magazines are not broken out separately) has grown by 18% since 2000, according to a report released by Statistics Canada.

Imports of newspapers and periodicals were $982 million in 2000 and had increased to $1.07 billion in 2006, an increase of almost 10%.

Exports of newspapers and periodicals were $243 million in 2000 and fell to $204 million in 2006, a drop of 16%.

Statistics Canada reports that the country's deficit in the trade of all culture goods - mostly books, periodicals and films - grew last year to its largest level since 1999.

Written and published works represented 3/4 of every dollar spent on U.S. cultural imports in 2006.

Canada imported $3.9 billion worth of culture goods from the world, a 3.2 per cent drop from 2005.

At the same time, exports fell 12.7 per cent to $2.1 billion, the third consecutive decline.

The trade deficit rose to $1.8 billion from $1.7 billion in 2005.

Most of the deficit was with the United States, with China running a distant second.

The deficit with the United States grew by $236 million to nearly $1.2 billion, mainly because of a sharp drop in exports.

Writing and published works represented nearly three-quarters (73%) of all the culture goods imported into Canada in 2006.

Imports of books, newspapers and periodicals and other printed matter grew $25.8 million in 2006 to $2.8 billion. Items such as technical, scientific and professional books, text books for school, art and pictorial books, journals, periodicals and cards are included in this culture category.

The trade in culture goods were largely to the United States, China, France and the United Kingdom, says the data:

• Canadians imported mainly books and newspapers from the United States. For every $10 of culture goods Canadians imported from the United States, $7.61 were spent on writing and published works, $0.85 on film and video, and $0.58 on advertising. The remainder was spread among sound recordings, photography and original art.

• Canada's exports to the United States were more diversified. For every $10 of culture goods the United States bought from Canada, $3.80 were spent on books, newspapers and periodicals and other printed material, $2.68 on film and video, and $1.67 on advertising. Photography, sound recordings and visual arts accounted for the rest.

• For the last six years, imports of culture goods from China have been the second largest, after the United States. In 2006, imports from China increased 5.9% to $295 million, while exports to China rose 3.9% to $13.8 million. Almost half of Canada's imports of culture goods from China were printed books.

• In 2006, exports to the United Kingdom dropped by almost $31 million from 2005. The value of exports of video, other printed material, newspapers and periodicals, and photography recorded the largest decline. Exports of culture goods to the United Kingdom nevertheless remained the second largest for the seventh consecutive year. Canada exported mainly books and videos to the United Kingdom.

• Exports to France were the third largest, books accounting for 60% of them.

For the full tables, showing all cultural goods and a breakdown by type, go here.