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Logging in Canada - Market Research Report (2014-2029)

Shawn McGrath Shawn McGrath New York, United States Last Updated: October 2024 NAICS 11331CA

Revenue

$12.3bn

2024

$12.3bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$XXX.Xm

Employees

29,022

Businesses

9,615

Wages

$X.Xbn

Logging in Canada industry analysis

Loggers supply goods, including timber, pulpwood and wood chips, to sawmills and pulp mills to be processed and manufactured into various wood products, including lumber and paper. Despite growing harvest levels, weak demand for paper, a key product of downstream pulp markets, has lowered demand for logging. Technological advances have reduced the economy's reliance on paper. Many businesses have gone paperless, and documents are stored on computers. Revenue plummeted in 2020 as exports sharply decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic. Exports have yet to bounce back to pre-pandemic levels, which has kept revenue from expanding significantly. Logging revenue has decreased at a CAGR of 2.1% to $12.3 billion over the five years to 2024, including a 1.7% drop in 2024 alone.

Trends and Insights

  • Demand from major markets has dropped, affecting logging companies. Trade volumes are down and there's decreasing demand from wood pulp and paper mills. This downturn is causing significant struggles for logging companies.
  • Consumers and businesses are switching to digital alternatives, reducing demand for paper. This shift is expected to continue in the coming years.
  • Logging companies are mainly based in Quebec and British Columbia, holding over three-fifths of all establishments. These provinces have extensive forested areas and these significant forest resources make them key hubs for loggers.
  • The price of sawlogs influences demand. The price of wood products can be lowered by supplying products to mills closest to the logging operation to minimize transportation costs.

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  • Market estimates from 2014-2029
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2014-2029)

Industry revenue has declined at a CAGR of 2.1 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $12.3bn in 2024.

Trends and Insights

Demand from major markets is shrinking

  • Shrinking demand for exports has contributed to declining revenue for loggers. Most international trade in forest products involves finished lumber, boards and panels. China has been a major source of demand following changes in the country's forest policies, which have constrained logging activities.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Logging in Canada
Revenue (2014-2029)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2024-2029)

Market size is projected to decline over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Diminishing downstream demand will sustain revenue losses

  • Declining global demand for paper will continue to falter as the use of digital products rises, rendering paper products increasingly obsolete. While downstream pulp mills have begun pivoting toward producing other paper products requiring pulp, weaker demand from downstream segments will harm revenue. There will still be a gap missing from shrinking paper demand.

Biggest companies in the Logging in Canada

Company
Market Share (%)
2024
Revenue ($m)
2024
Profit ($m)
2024
Profit Margin (%)
2024
West Fraser
1,205.7
57.2
4.7
Canfor
762.3
35.8
4.7
Resolute
617.9
25.7
4.2

To view the market share and analysis for all 4 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Logging in Canada
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Softwood logs and bolts , Hardwood logs and bolts and Pulpwood . Softwood logs and bolts is the largest segment of the Logging in Canada.

Trends and Insights

Softwood logs and bolts dictate industry performance

  • Species of softwood include Douglas fir, amabilis fir, western hemlock, lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, Jeffrey pine and spruces. This segment represents more than 70.0% of Canadian logging revenue and has inched upward as a share of revenue in recent years.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Operators in this industry buy and lease log harvesting equipment and vehicles, which they use to fell trees. The trees are then transported as sawlogs to sawmills and pulp mills. Companies that are primarily engaged in the breeding, planting or growing of trees are excluded from this industry and are instead classified under the Timber Services NAICS code 11311.

What's included in this industry?

Cutting timberTransporting timberProducing wood chips in the forest

Companies

West FraserCanforResolute

Purchase this report to view all 4 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

CROWN LANDANNUAL ALLOWABLE CUT (AAC)STUMPAGESILVICULTURESAWLOGBOLT

Industry Code

NAICS 2007

NAICS 113311 - Logging in Canada

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Demand from major markets has dropped, affecting logging companies. Trade volumes are down and there's decreasing demand from wood pulp and paper mills. This downturn is caus...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Employees, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Businesses, including historical (2014-2023) and forecast (2024-2029)
  • Profit, including historical (2014-2024)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Consumers and businesses are switching to digital alternatives, reducing demand for paper. This shift is expected to continue in the coming years.

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets
  • International Trade

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2024
  • Product innovation level
  • Total imports, level and trend
  • Total exports, level and trend
  • Trade Balance

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2024
  • Major market segmentation in 2024
  • International trade, including imports by country and exports by country

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services
  • Recent trends in import and export volumes, country of origin or destination, and expected future trends

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Logging companies are mainly based in Quebec and British Columbia, holding over three-fifths of all establishments. These provinces have extensive forested areas and these si...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2024

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each province in 2024
  • Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2024
  • Number and share of employees in each province in 2024

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

The price of sawlogs influences demand. The price of wood products can be lowered by supplying products to mills closest to the logging operation to minimize transportation c...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2019-2024
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Vertically integrated companies have a distinct advantage. By controlling multiple levels of the supply chain, these businesses can minimize volatility and capture a larger m...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2020 through 2024
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2024
  • Overview of West Fraser's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Canfor's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of Resolute's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2018 through 2024
  • Overview of revenue, market share and profit margin trend for one additional company

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for West Fraser, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Canfor, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for Resolute, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description, key data and performance trends for one additional company

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The price of wood products is important to logging companies' performance. It directly affects the price that logging companies can sell their products for in downstream mark...

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2014-2029) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Profit has suffered in recent years. Lower levels of downstream demand from paper producers and export markets have eroded profit somewhat.

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2024
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Coverage Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2017-2022)
  • Operating Ratios (2017-2022)
  • Assets (2017-2022)
  • Liabilities (2017-2022)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Employee (2014-2029)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Establishment (2014-2029)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • Average Wage (2014-2029)
  • Wages/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2014-2029)
  • IVA/Revenue (2014-2029)
  • Imports/Demand (2014-2029)
  • Exports/Revenue (2014-2029)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2014-2029)
  • IVA (2014-2029)
  • Establishments (2014-2029)
  • Enterprises (2014-2029)
  • Employment (2014-2029)
  • Exports (2014-2029)
  • Imports (2014-2029)
  • Wages (2014-2029)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Logging industry in Canada in 2024?

The market size of the Logging industry in Canada is $12.3bn in 2024.

How many businesses are there in the Logging in Canada industry in 2024?

There are 9,615 businesses in the Logging industry in Canada, which has declined at a CAGR of 1.6 % between 2019 and 2024.

Has the Logging industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Logging industry in Canada has been declining at a CAGR of 2.1 % between 2019 and 2024.

What is the forecast growth of the Logging industry in Canada over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Logging industry in Canada is expected to decline.

What are the biggest companies in the Logging market in Canada?

The biggest companies operating in the Logging market in Canada are West Fraser, Canfor and Resolute

What does the Logging in Canada include?

Cutting timber and Transporting timber are part of the Logging industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Logging in Canada?

The company holding the most market share in Canada is West Fraser.

How competitive is the Logging industry in Canada?

The level of competition is moderate and steady in the Logging industry in Canada.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

Competitors

  • Iron Ore Mining in Canada

Complementors

  • Sawmills & Wood Production in Canada
  • Paper Mills in Canada
  • Industrial Machinery & Equipment Wholesaling in Canada

International industries

  • Forestry and Logging in Australia
  • Forestry and Logging in New Zealand
  • Forestry & Logging in the UK

View all industries in Canada

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Canada include:

  • Statistics Canada
  • Industry Canada
  • Canadian Business Patterns

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.