Social spending as share of GDP in Canada
Canada: Social spending as share of GDP was 2.4% in 2022. ▼ Falling
Social spending as share of GDP in Canada, 1980–2022
Source: OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2022, social spending as share of gdp in Canada stood at 2.4%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 8.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, social spending as share of gdp in Canada peaked at 3.6% in 1993 and was at its lowest, 1.9%, in 1980.
That places Canada 1st out of 42 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Social spending as share of GDP in Canada, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 1.9% | — |
| 1981 | 1.9% | +0.8% |
| 1982 | 2.2% | +14.5% |
| 1983 | 2.3% | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 2.3% | -2.0% |
| 1985 | 2.3% | +0.2% |
| 1986 | 2.1% | -5.5% |
| 1987 | 2.1% | -2.6% |
| 1988 | 2.1% | -0.3% |
| 1989 | 2.2% | +3.3% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | +12.2% |
| 1991 | 3.3% | +35.1% |
| 1992 | 3.6% | +10.4% |
| 1993 | 3.6% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 3.5% | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 3.3% | -6.8% |
| 1996 | 3.0% | -8.4% |
| 1997 | 2.7% | -8.1% |
| 1998 | 2.8% | +0.9% |
| 1999 | 2.5% | -10.8% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | -2.6% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | -2.1% |
| 2002 | 2.3% | -2.9% |
| 2003 | 2.3% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 2.5% | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 2.6% | +2.6% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 2.0% | -17.6% |
| 2009 | 2.3% | +12.4% |
| 2010 | 2.3% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 2.2% | -1.8% |
| 2012 | 2.2% | -0.4% |
| 2013 | 2.1% | -3.2% |
| 2014 | 2.1% | -1.7% |
| 2015 | 2.2% | +3.9% |
| 2016 | 2.2% | +1.8% |
| 2017 | 2.2% | -0.6% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | +2.0% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | +2.8% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | +12.1% |
| 2021 | 2.3% | -11.3% |
| 2022 | 2.4% | +3.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 2.1% | 1.9% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.1% | 2.4% | 3.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 2.0% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.6% | 3 |
Countries ranked near Canada
- 2 New Zealand 2.4% compare
- 3 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland 1.6% compare
- 4 Italy 1.6% compare
More economy & growth data for Canada
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 0.8812 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 1.66 Percent per annum (2029)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 1.45 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.1752 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross capital formation (constant 2015 US$), per capita 9,759 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), annual growth rate 0.7104 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.3218 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current US$), per capita 17,922 current US$ per person (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), annual growth rate 2.82 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (current LCU), per unit of GDP 0.4499 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is social spending as share of gdp in Canada?
- Social spending as share of gdp in Canada was 2.4% in 2022, according to OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest social spending as share of gdp recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 3.6% in 1993.
- What is the lowest social spending as share of gdp recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.9% in 1980.
- How does Canada rank for social spending as share of gdp?
- Canada ranks 1st out of 42 countries with data for 2022.
- Is social spending as share of gdp rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from OECD (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Social spending as share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Public social expenditure divided by gross domestic product, expressed as a percentage. Includes both in-cash and in-kind benefits in other social policy programs.