Canada Delays Trade Data After US Shutdown
Statistics Backlog Pushes September and October Releases
Key Takeaways:
- Statistics Canada delayed its October international merchandise trade release after earlier postponing September data because the U.S. government shutdown disrupted shared cross-border shipment information.
- The delay highlights a U.S. data backlog that Statistics Canada said is needed to accurately estimate Canadian exports to the U.S.
- The agency plans to provide a revised schedule and will issue supplementary export estimates later this week in third quarter current account and GDP data.
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Statistics Canada has delayed another release of international merchandise trade data due to the U.S. government shutdown.
The agency said it will not publish October trade data as was scheduled on Dec. 4. Statistics Canada had previously confirmed Septembernumberswould be postponed.
“Release dates for international trade statistics are currently under review,” Koraly Pepin, a spokesperson for the agency, said by email. Statistics Canada plans to provide an updated schedule when the dates are finalized.
The two governments collaborate to share information on the shipment of goods across borders, and U.S. data is required to accurately estimate Canada’s exports south of the border.
Though the government shutdown ended earlier this month, the delayed Canadian statistics underscore the scope of the U.S. data backlog.
Statistics Canada plans to release supplementary estimates of Canadian exports to the U.S. later this week, in the third quarter current account and gross domestic product data.
In 2019, the U.S. government shutdown also caused adelayin Canadian trade statistics, but the data for affected months was eventually released.
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