2009

Cover of the Financing Statistics - Dec. 2009 publication
Archived - Financing Statistics - December 2009
(Special Edition: Key Small Business Statistics)

The publication presents various statistics on the financing of Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises; these include the credit request and approval rate, the average value of loan requests and the intended use of financing. Some statistics are presented according to the demographic characteristics of the owners (e.g., women, visible minorities), by province, industry and by firm size.

Cover of the Determinants of Trade Credit Use by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Canada report
Determinants of Trade Credit Use by Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Canada

This paper examines the relationship between demand, supply and importance of trade credit, and financing constraints for Canadian small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Cover of the Credit Condition Survey - 2009 report
Credit Conditions Survey - 2009

The survey was conducted in August and September 2009. The questions focused on financing sought by small enterprises (1 to 100 employees) since August 2008. The answers refer to the 13-month period between August 2008 and September 2009.

Cover of the Financing Innovative Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Canada report
Financing Innovative Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Canada

This paper examines whether the financing activities and experiences of innovative small and medium-sized (SMEs) in accessing financing are different from those of non-innovative SMEs. This paper also examines whether innovative SMEs face different financing terms and conditions than non-innovative SMEs seeking financing.

Cover of the Venture Capital Monitor - Q2 2009 issue
Archived - Venture Capital Monitor - Q2 2009

This issue presents the Canadian venture capital (VC) investment and fundraising trends in Q2 2009. It also summarizes recent government initiatives related to the support of the VC industry in Canada.

Cover of the Key Small Business Statistics - July 2009 publication
Archived – Key Small Business Statistics - July 2009

Updated sections include data on the number of businesses in Canada, job creation, earnings by business size, the number of self-employed workers, women entrepreneurs as well as innovation by business size.

Cover of the Venture Capital Monitor - Q1 2009 issue
Archived - Venture Capital Monitor - Q1 2009

This issue discusses the trends in venture capital (VC) activity during Q1 2009 and also describes the many VC programs announced by governments during that quarter. It includes an article describing a number of business start-up competitions in Canada and how they can help investment-grade small businesses.

Cover of the Financing Profile: Financing Innovative Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Canada
Financing Profile: Financing Innovative Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises in Canada

This profile describes innovative small and medium enterprises (SMEs) along a range of characteristics and examines whether they differ from non-innovative SMEs in terms of access to financing, financing terms and conditions, and obstacles faced in accessing financing.

Cover of the Venture Capital Monitor - Q4 2008 issue
Archived - Venture Capital Monitor - Q4 2008

This year-end issue discusses Canada's venture capital (VC) activity during 2008, a year characterized by declining VC investments across nearly all regions, sectors and types of investors. The feature article highlights the findings of Canada's Venture Capital & Private Equity Association (CVCA) study of the economic impact of VC investment. The "In Focus" article discusses Manitoba's VC industry and diverse technology sectors.

Cover of the Financing Profile: Borrowers under the Canada Small Business Financing Program
Financing Profile: Borrowers under the Canada Small Business Financing Program

This profile compares several characteristics of borrowers under the Canada Small Business Financing Program with small businesses not using the Program. These groups are compared in terms of financing (source and type), including provincial distribution, size, industries and satisfaction with lenders, as observed in 2004.

Cover of the Key Small Business Statistics - Jan. 2009 publication
Archived – Key Small Business Statistics - January 2009

Updated sections include data on the number of businesses in Canada, survival of small businesses, job creation and characteristics of the self-employed.

Cover of the Venture Capital Monitor - Q3 2008 issue
Archived - Venture Capital Monitor - Q3 2008

This issue discusses Canada's venture capital (VC) activity during Q3 2008. It includes an article about InNOVAcorp, a Halifax-based business incubator, and the novel concept — High Performance incubation (HPi) — that applies in supporting technology-based new ventures. An article on Toronto describes the city's technology clusters.

Fast facts

In 2022, there are 1.22 million SMEs in Canada that have employees.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics

97.8% of businesses in Canada have fewer than 100 employees.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics

Between 2016 and 2020, on average, 101,921 businesses were created every year and 96,548  disappeared.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics

In 2022, private sector SMEs employ around 8 million people in Canada.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics

22% of SMEs operate in goods-producing industries and 78% of SMEs operate in service industries.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics

SMEs were responsible for $293 billion (40.8%) of Canada's total value of goods exports in 2022.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics

2.6% of firms with 10 employees or more were high-growth firms in 2020.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics

SMEs contributed 49% of Canada's GDP in 2020.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics

12.1% of SMEs exported goods and services in 2020.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises

The likelihood of exporting increases with business size.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises

The primary decision maker of 47% of SMEs is between 50 and 64 years old.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises

16.8% of SMEs were majority-women owned in 2020.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises

25% of SMEs are operated by individuals with a bachelor's degree, while 15% are operated by individuals with a master's degree or above.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises

28% of SMEs innovated between 2018 and 2020.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises

16% of SMEs held intellectual property in 2020.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises

82% of SMEs requested external financing in 2020.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises

92% of the amount of debt financing requested by SMEs was authorized.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises

2% of SMEs imported services from outside Canada.
Source: 2020 Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises