Practice by chapter
Canada’s Economy: practice quiz and who produces what
Ten questions taken from the economy chapter and from the economic facts of the regions, corrected immediately. Below, a province-by-province table that answers most of them.
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Practice questions written by Radif Partners from the facts of the official guide. Not the official test.
Economy questions draw on the short economy chapter of Discover Canada and on the economic facts scattered through its regions chapter; our bank groups 15 of its 150 questions under this heading. The chapter itself rests on a few ideas. Canada has three kinds of industry: services, which employ more than three quarters of working Canadians, manufacturing and natural resources (forestry, fishing, farming, mining, energy). Trade drives growth: free trade with the United States began in 1988 and Mexico joined in 1994, and the United States is by far the largest trading partner, across what is traditionally called the world's longest undefended border. The rest is a map of who produces what: Alberta leads in oil and gas and beef, Quebec in hydro-electricity and pulp and paper, Saskatchewan in grain, potash and uranium, British Columbia in forestry; Toronto is the main financial centre and the Port of Vancouver the busiest port. Institutions complete it: the Bank of Canada (1934) and GATT, which became the World Trade Organization. Matching a province to a product is quick once the table below is learned, and every point helps reach 15 out of 20.
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The framework in three ideas
First, three sectors: services, manufacturing, natural resources. Second, trade: Canadians could not keep their standard of living without it, and the United States is the main partner. Third, institutions born from crises: during the Great Depression Canadians wanted a steadier economy, and the Bank of Canada was founded in 1934 to manage the money supply; after the war, GATT, later the World Trade Organization, opened up world trade and helped bring record prosperity. The 15 questions in our bank on this chapter test these three ideas and a long list of regional products.
| Province or city | What the guide associates with it |
|---|---|
| Alberta | largest producer of oil and gas (oil sands); beef from large ranches; oil found in 1947 |
| Quebec | largest hydro-electricity producer; leading pulp and paper producer; aeronautics and pharmaceuticals |
| Saskatchewan | richest potash and uranium deposits; largest grain and oilseed producer, once called the breadbasket of the world |
| British Columbia | most valuable forestry industry; Okanagan Valley orchards and wineries |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | offshore oil and gas |
| Ontario (Niagara) | vineyards, wines and orchards |
| Toronto | main financial centre |
| Vancouver | largest and busiest port, gateway to Asia-Pacific |
| Montreal | stock exchange founded in 1832 |
| Yellowknife | diamond capital of North America |
| Central Canada | industrial and manufacturing heartland, over half the population |
Trade with the United States
Canada and the United States are each other's largest trading partner, with integrated supply chains. Millions of people cross the border safely every year, and both countries work to keep it secure and efficient. The Peace Arch at Blaine, Washington, bears two inscriptions about common parentage and brotherly unity. Free trade came in 1988, and Mexico joined in 1994. A large share of manufactured goods and resource exports goes south.
The three sectors deserve a closer look, because questions often give one example and ask for its sector. Services cover transport, education, health care, construction, banking, communications, retail, tourism and government, and no other sector employs as many people. Manufacturing turns materials into goods sold at home and abroad: paper, high-technology equipment, aerospace technology, cars, machinery, food and clothing. Natural resources, meaning forestry, fishing, farming, mining and energy, shaped the country's early history, and many regions still depend on them.
Swaps to avoid
Quebec or Alberta? Hydro-electricity and pulp for the first, oil, gas and beef for the second. Toronto or Vancouver? Finance or port. 1988 or 1994? Free trade with the United States or Mexico joining. Saskatchewan or Manitoba? Potash, uranium and grain point to Saskatchewan. Services or manufacturing? Construction, health care and retail are services, not manufacturing; aerospace products and cars are manufacturing. Bank of Canada date. 1934, during the Depression, not at Confederation.
Linked chapters
The previous chapter, Canadian Symbols, also features the Hudson's Bay Company, through the beaver; the last one, Canada’s Regions, gives the geography behind this table. Open the question bank to read every economy question with its answer, or test yourself across the guide in the timed mock test. Facts drawn from Discover Canada.