SME Research and Statistics

SME in Canada

• Definition

  Small:
  1-99 employees;
  Medium:
  100‑499 employees;
  Large:
  500 employees and more;
• Number of businesses with employees in 2020

  Small:
  1,198,632 (97.9%)
  Medium:
  22,725 (1.86%)
  Large:
  2,936 (0.24%)
  Total:
  1,224,293

  Source: Statistics Canada, Table 33–10–0304–01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, December 2020.
• Number of private sector employees in 2020

  Small:
  7,718,900 (67.67%)
  Medium:
  2,352,000 (20.62%)
  Large:
  1,335,400 (11.71%)
  Total:
  11,406,300

  Sources: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey (LFS); and calculations by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
• Contribution to gross domestic product (GDP)

  From 2014 to 2018, the average contribution of  small businesses to GDP was 37.8%, the contribution of medium-sized businesses was 14.1% and the contribution of large businesses was 48.1%.

  Source: KSBS, December 2021