4. Oil Sands
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CALGARY—The oil sands support more than 400,000 jobs in Canada and
1.5 percent of the country’s economy, but the sector is still falling short for
domestic manufacturers, according to a report by the Conference Board of
Canada.
Every year, about $5 billion worth of goods come into the oil sands from
overseas, and that number will burgeon to $140 billion over the next 20
years, said Michael Burt, director of industrial trends with the Conference
Board, who presented the report at the National Supply Chain Forum in
Calgary earlier this week.
“It’s primarily manufactured goods that we’re importing. Things like heating
and ventilation equipment that’s produced locally and could be sourced from
companies here in Canada,” Burt said.
Steel products are coming in from offshore, along with transportation
equipment, electronics and other field components.
“It’s true that the vehicles used in the oil sands are sometimes site specific
or product specific and we may not make the parts right now in Ontario to
supply those vehicles, but how easy would it be to retool to adapt our
production processes?”
Jul-September 2013 seen manufacturing sales for non-metal fabrication run at 29B
Source: Stats Canada
Source: BMO
Ontario not taking enough advantage of the oil sands.
http://www.supplychainforum.ca/index.php/news/124-winning-oil-sands-business-from-ontario
Source: Conference board of Canada
Source: Baker Hughes
Source: CAPP
CAPP
Aug-Sep/13 were running $18B on average the highest level in 2013
Manufacturing sales rose 0.6% to $49.9 billion in September, the fourth increase in five months. The gain in September was largely a result of higher sales in the motor vehicle assembly and food industries. Total sales in September were at their highest level since June 2012.
Sales rose in 11 of 21 industries, representing about 55% of Canadian manufacturing.
Both the durable and the non-durable goods industries posted 0.6% sales gains.
Constant dollar sales increased 1.0% in September, indicating a rise in volumes.
Source: Stats Canada
Source: Associated of equipment manufacturers
Source: Ward Automotive
Notes:
USA Production is schedule to hit 11M units the highest level since 2007.
Canada production is schedule to hit 2.3M units, which is down from 2012. 2012 numbers reflected Talbotville Ford Plant, which has subsequently been closed
Mexico Production is at 3M units the highest level. Since 2007 Mexico has seen its % of total automotive production go from 13.3% to 18.8. The USA has seen its production level dropped by 3.1% and Canada has seen its level dropped by 2.7%
Labor Rates
1.
Source: World Steel Association
Source: Source: http://www.amtonline.org
Source: Stats of Canada
Source: BMO
Canada’s current account deficit narrowed to $15.5 bln in Q3 ($61.9 bln annualized), but the
level was larger than expected after negative revisions to the prior quarter. The deficit for Q2
now weighs in at $15.9 bln ($63.7 bln a.r.) versus the prior reading of $14.6 bln ($58.3 bln a.r.).
So, at roughly 3.3% of GDP, the current account deficit is indeed indicative of an overvalued
Canadian dollar as some others have pointed out this morning.
The goods trade balance narrowed slightly in the quarter, to $2.2 bln, smaller than suggested
by the monthly trade data and suggesting trade might have been somewhat less of a drag on
growth—the full GDP report is out tomorrow. The non-merchandise deficit also narrowed
slightly, including a lower services shortfall as the travel deficit has stabilized (narrowed
slightly in Q3) amid a softer loonie and levelling off in cross-border trips.
On the capital account side, foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows slipped for a second
straight quarter to $10.4 bln, while FDI abroad rose to $20.7 bln after declines in the prior two
quarters. Foreign portfolio inflows rebounded sharply to $16.5 bln after dropping over the past
year, led by increases in both debt and equity investment. Canadian portfolio investment
abroad picked up by a smaller amount, to $5.3 bln, leaving net portfolio inflows at the highest
level in a year—but still well below the pace seen during the 2009-11 period
Source: Department of Transport - USA
Source: BMO and Bureau of Statistics for USA
Source: Stats Canada
Source: Stats Canada
Source: BMO
Source: BMO
In contrast to the market-moving (and partly distorted) U.S. jobs data, Canada’s employment
reading for October was as clean as whistle and will make no waves. Employment rose a
respectable 13,200 in October, following the moderate 11,900 rise the prior month, with the
jobs data finally returning to some semblance of order after the wild swings earlier this year.
Details were mixed. Full-time jobs were solid at +16,000, and all of the gains were in the 25+
age group. There were some mild blots on the report, however, as all of the net gains were in
the public sector (private sector payrolls fell 22k), and the goods-producing sector saw broadbased
declines. Still, the unemployment rate managed to hold steady after dipping to a 5-year
low of 6.9% in September. The participation rate was unchanged at 66.4%.
By sector: First the good news: There were big gains in hotels & restaurants (+30k), health
care (+20k) and government (+19k). Now the bad news: most of the cyclical sectors declined,
with retail & wholesale trade down 20k, followed by declines in construction (-9k) and the
persistent and troubling weak spot of manufacturing (-6k and down a hefty 4.6% y/y). The
biggest drag was in the rarely quoted “business, building and other support services”, which
fell 32,600. Despite the split last month, the service sector has not been wildly stronger than the
goods-producing sectors over the past year (+1.3% y/y versus +0.8% y/y).
By region: The big story last month was a 34,100 pop in Quebec, which helped shave its
jobless rate a tick to 7.5%. The flip side was a 14,700 drop in Ontario employment, which saw
its jobless rate nudge up a tick to 7.4%. Otherwise, it was a 50-50 split, with half the provinces
reporting small job declines last month. The most notable move in unemployment rates was a
7 tick plunge in Saskatchewan, taking its rate to a national low of 3.6%, while Newfoundland
& Labrador popped 6 ticks to regain the dubious title of highest rate in the nation at 11.0%.
Bottom Line: Canadian employment was about as close to expectations as reasonably possible
in October, rendering it a sideshow to the surprisingly solid U.S. payroll result.