Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government) in Canada
Canada: Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government) was 0.2153 in 2020. ◆ Volatile
Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent in Canada, 1990–2020
Source: International Monetary Fund.
Analysis
In 2020, vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in Canada stood at 0.2153. That is the highest value across all 31 years on record.
That represents a change of up 143.2% on the previous year and up 189.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in Canada peaked at 0.2153 in 2020 and was at its lowest, -0.5212, in 2014.
That places Canada 10th out of 64 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government) in Canada, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | -0.0016 | — |
| 1991 | 0.0152 | -1060.7% |
| 1992 | -0.0079 | -151.6% |
| 1993 | 0.0169 | -314.7% |
| 1994 | -0.013 | -177.3% |
| 1995 | -0.0545 | +317.8% |
| 1996 | -0.1293 | +137.1% |
| 1997 | -0.2959 | +128.9% |
| 1998 | -0.3075 | +3.9% |
| 1999 | -0.3556 | +15.6% |
| 2000 | -0.4164 | +17.1% |
| 2001 | -0.3821 | -8.2% |
| 2002 | -0.344 | -10.0% |
| 2003 | -0.3543 | +3.0% |
| 2004 | -0.3858 | +8.9% |
| 2005 | -0.4338 | +12.4% |
| 2006 | -0.4601 | +6.1% |
| 2007 | -0.4915 | +6.8% |
| 2008 | -0.445 | -9.5% |
| 2009 | -0.2632 | -40.9% |
| 2010 | -0.242 | -8.1% |
| 2011 | -0.3011 | +24.4% |
| 2012 | -0.334 | +11.0% |
| 2013 | -0.3898 | +16.7% |
| 2014 | -0.5212 | +33.7% |
| 2015 | -0.5092 | -2.3% |
| 2016 | -0.4502 | -11.6% |
| 2017 | -0.4494 | -0.2% |
| 2018 | -0.4876 | +8.5% |
| 2019 | -0.4989 | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 0.2153 | -143.2% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 0.2153 is above the median for high income countries, which is -0.1062. (27 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1991 | +1060.7% | -0.0016 | 0.0152 |
| 1993 | +314.7% | -0.0079 | 0.0169 |
| 1995 | -317.8% | -0.013 | -0.0545 |
| 1994 | -177.3% | 0.0169 | -0.013 |
| 2020 | +143.2% | -0.4989 | 0.2153 |
| 1992 | -151.6% | 0.0152 | -0.0079 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | -0.1133 | -0.3556 | 0.0169 | 10 |
| 2000s | -0.3976 | -0.4915 | -0.2632 | 10 |
| 2010s | -0.4183 | -0.5212 | -0.242 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2153 | 0.2153 | 0.2153 | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More public sector data for Canada
- Democracy, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Chief executive of the government is elected, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- 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)
- Universal right to vote in practice, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- 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 vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in Canada?
- Vertical fiscal imbalance, percent in Canada was 0.2153 in 2020, according to International Monetary Fund.
- What is the highest vertical fiscal imbalance, percent recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 0.2153 in 2020.
- What is the lowest vertical fiscal imbalance, percent recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.5212 in 2014.
- How does Canada rank for vertical fiscal imbalance, percent?
- Canada ranks 10th out of 64 countries with data for 2020.
- Is vertical fiscal imbalance, percent rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 189.0%. 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 Vertical fiscal imbalance, Percent (Central government). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 31 observations, free to reuse under IMF Terms and Conditions (attribution required).
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.