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A new report from Canada's national statistics agency says the country's business productivity was stagnant last year, after it declined 0.8 per cent in 2008.
Statistics Canada said Friday that private-sector productivity — output per hour worked — increased in Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Manitoba, British Columbia and the Yukon in 2009, but nationally the rate was unchanged.
The strongest growth in business productivity took place in Quebec, where it increased two per cent.
The largest declines occurred in the resource-based economies of Newfoundland and Labrador, Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Both business output and hours worked fell in all provinces and territories except Yukon.
Nationally, productivity of services-producing businesses increased 1.2 per cent, while that of the goods-producing sector was flat after three straight years of decreases.
Inflation-adjusted total output fell nine per cent in goods-producing businesses and one per cent in services-producing enterprises.
Statistics Canada noted that businesses adjusted to the economic downturn by sharply reducing hours worked in 2009. The weakness in output and in the employment market was concentrated in the first half of the year.
Average hourly compensation in Canadian businesses rose three per cent in 2009, the same as in the previous year. Newfoundland and Labrador, up 9.4 per cent, had the largest increase in average hourly compensation.
CBC News
