Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP (%) in Canada
Canada: Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP (%) was 89.7% in 2020. ▼ Falling
Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP in Canada, 1989–2020
Source: Bank for International Settlements (BIS). Measured in %.
Analysis
Canada recorded 89.7% for outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp in 2020. That is the highest value across all 32 years on record.
The figure is up 43.2% on the previous year and up 42.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp in Canada peaked at 89.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 43.2%, in 2008.
Canada ranks 3rd of 32 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 32 years of available data.
Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP (%) in Canada, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1989 | 61.8% | — |
| 1990 | 64.5% | +4.2% |
| 1991 | 69.4% | +7.7% |
| 1992 | 70.5% | +1.6% |
| 1993 | 74.4% | +5.6% |
| 1994 | 73.4% | -1.4% |
| 1995 | 76.1% | +3.7% |
| 1996 | 73.0% | -4.1% |
| 1997 | 66.9% | -8.3% |
| 1998 | 62.7% | -6.3% |
| 1999 | 64.8% | +3.4% |
| 2000 | 56.9% | -12.2% |
| 2001 | 55.2% | -3.0% |
| 2002 | 55.5% | +0.5% |
| 2003 | 59.2% | +6.7% |
| 2004 | 55.9% | -5.5% |
| 2005 | 51.6% | -7.7% |
| 2006 | 46.9% | -9.1% |
| 2007 | 50.3% | +7.2% |
| 2008 | 43.2% | -14.1% |
| 2009 | 65.2% | +51.0% |
| 2010 | 63.0% | -3.3% |
| 2011 | 59.3% | -5.9% |
| 2012 | 63.7% | +7.3% |
| 2013 | 62.5% | -1.8% |
| 2014 | 59.1% | -5.4% |
| 2015 | 57.7% | -2.4% |
| 2016 | 63.2% | +9.4% |
| 2017 | 64.8% | +2.5% |
| 2018 | 58.7% | -9.3% |
| 2019 | 62.7% | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 89.7% | +43.2% |
Canada compared with similar countries
- Canada's 89.7% is above the median for high income countries, which is 42.6%, 2.1× the median. (16 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP (%) 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | +51.0% | 43.2% | 65.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 61.8% | 61.8% | 61.8% | 1 |
| 1990s | 69.6% | 62.7% | 76.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 54.0% | 43.2% | 65.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 61.5% | 57.7% | 64.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 89.7% | 89.7% | 89.7% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Canada
More financial sector data for Canada
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0017 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 93.62 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0012 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 68.36 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.08 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0017 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 93.62 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 1.02 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp in Canada?
- Outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp in Canada was 89.7% in 2020, according to Bank for International Settlements (BIS).
- What is the highest outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp recorded in Canada?
- The highest recorded value was 89.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp recorded in Canada?
- The lowest recorded value was 43.2% in 2008.
- How does Canada rank for outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp?
- Canada ranks 3rd out of 32 countries with data for 2020.
- Is outstanding domestic public debt securities to gdp rising or falling in Canada?
- Over the last ten years it is up 42.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Canada data come from?
- The figures come from Bank for International Settlements (BIS), published as part of Outstanding domestic public debt securities to GDP (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total amount of domestic public debt securities (amounts outstanding) issued in domestic markets as a share of GDP. It covers long-term bonds and notes, treasury bills, commercial paper and other short-term notes. Table 16A (domestic debt amount): governments / GDP. End of year data (i.e. December data) are considered for debt securities. The figures are deflated using the following methodology: {(0.5)*[Ft/P_et + Ft-1/P_et-1]}/[GDPt/P_at] where F is the level domestic public debt, P_e is end-of period CPI, and P_a is average annual CPI. GDP is from World Development Indicators. End-of period CPI is taken from IFS line 64M..ZF month of December (or if not available Q4). Average annual CPI is constructed from the monthly CPI figure taken from IFS line 64..ZF.