SME Research and Statistics
Latest report releases
- Biannual Survey of Suppliers of Business Financing — Data analysis, second half 2021
- SME Profile: Social Enterprises in Canada
- Survey on Financing and Growth of Small and Medium Enterprises, 2020
- Key Small Business Statistics — 2021
- Biannual Survey of Suppliers of Business Financing — Data analysis, First Half 2021
- Biannual Survey of Suppliers of Business Financing — Data analysis, second half 2020
- Financing of women-owned small and medium-sized enterprises in Canada
- Entrepreneurship in rural Canada: Necessity or opportunity driven?
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:
1,224,293Source: 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:
11,406,300Sources: 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
- Date modified: