Cliometrics and the Study of Canadian Economic History

The long-run development of the Canadian economy has been marked by discontinuities in policy, structure, technology, and performance. By applying cliometric tools and techniques, our understanding of these discontinuities has evolved well beyond the narratives that traditionally dominated our view of Canada’s economic history. The theoretical foundations and quantitative rigor of cliometric analysis allow us to describe the Canadian experience, while placing it into its appropriate international and chronological context. In this chapter we illustrate the transformative effect cliometrics has had on the study of Canadian economic history through a survey of some of the models and evidence that have reshaped our interpretation of the key factors affecting Canadian development. The factors we consider include the role of resource-led growth, including the impact of the fur trade and western wheat production; the relationship between policy and performance, including the adoption of trade protection, the subsidization of infrastructure, and the impact of immigration; and the importance of entrepreneurial innovation and decision-making.