Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in Canada
Canada: Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) was -0.5401 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Deficit, Percent of own spending in Canada, 1990–2020
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2020, deficit, percent of own spending in Canada stood at -0.5401. That is the lowest value across all 31 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5,338.8% on the previous year and down 113.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, deficit, percent of own spending in Canada peaked at 0.1432 in 2000 and was at its lowest, -0.5401, in 2020.
Canada ranks 60th of 66 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -0.2767 | — |
| 1991 | -0.2844 | +2.8% |
| 1992 | -0.2772 | -2.5% |
| 1993 | -0.3046 | +9.9% |
| 1994 | -0.271 | -11.0% |
| 1995 | -0.2391 | -11.8% |
| 1996 | -0.1374 | -42.6% |
| 1997 | 0.0491 | -135.8% |
| 1998 | 0.057 | +16.1% |
| 1999 | 0.0666 | +16.8% |
| 2000 | 0.1432 | +115.1% |
| 2001 | 0.0917 | -36.0% |
| 2002 | 0.0639 | -30.3% |
| 2003 | 0.0298 | -53.4% |
| 2004 | 0.0692 | +132.6% |
| 2005 | 0.0025 | -96.4% |
| 2006 | 0.0745 | +2887.9% |
| 2007 | 0.0896 | +20.3% |
| 2008 | -0.0026 | -102.8% |
| 2009 | -0.1659 | +6398.2% |
| 2010 | -0.2527 | +52.3% |
| 2011 | -0.141 | -44.2% |
| 2012 | -0.1076 | -23.7% |
| 2013 | -0.0622 | -42.2% |
| 2014 | 0.0424 | -168.1% |
| 2015 | 0.0417 | -1.5% |
| 2016 | -0.0125 | -129.9% |
| 2017 | -0.0132 | +5.7% |
| 2018 | 0.0325 | -346.8% |
| 2019 | 0.0103 | -68.3% |
| 2020 | -0.5401 | -5338.8% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's -0.5401 is below the median for high income countries, which is -0.2946, 1.8× the median. (29 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government) in Canada changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | -6398.2% | -0.0026 | -0.1659 |
| 2020 | -5338.8% | 0.0103 | -0.5401 |
| 2006 | +2887.9% | 0.0025 | 0.0745 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.1618 | -0.3046 | 0.0666 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.0396 | -0.1659 | 0.1432 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.0462 | -0.2527 | 0.0424 | 10 |
| 2020s | -0.5401 | -0.5401 | -0.5401 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 57 North Macedonia -0.4871 compare
- 58 Moldova -0.4902 compare
- 59 Indonesia -0.54 compare
- 61 Kazakhstan -0.5697 compare
- 62 United States -0.6264 compare
- 63 Peru -0.646 compare
More public sector data for Canada
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- Elected parliament, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Men's universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Universal right to vote, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
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- Arms imports 83.00 million SIPRI trend indicator values (2025)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per capita 3.61 SIPRI trend indicator values per person (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), per unit of GDP 0.0001 SIPRI trend indicator values per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Arms imports (SIPRI trend indicator values), annual growth rate 96.05 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is deficit, percent of own spending in Canada?
- Deficit, percent of own spending in Canada was -0.5401 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest deficit, percent of own spending recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 0.1432 in 2000.
- What is the lowest deficit, percent of own spending recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.5401 in 2020.
- How does Canada rank for deficit, percent of own spending?
- Canada ranks 60th out of 66 countries with data for 2020.
- Is deficit, percent of own spending rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is down 113.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund, published as part of Deficit, Percent of own spending (Central government). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The Fiscal Decentralization dataset includes fiscal decentralization indicators for a sample of IMF member countries. The following indicators are included in the dataset: Revenue and Expenditure Decentralization Shares; Transfer dependency and Vertical Fiscal Imbalances; Deficit and Debt; Allocation of expenditure (economic classification); Allocation of expenditure (functional classification); Allocation of non-Tax Revenues; and Allocation of Taxes.