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 2021

  Small:
  1,187,658 (97.9%)
  Medium:
  22,700 (1.9%)
  Large:
  2,868 (0.2%)
  Total:
  1,213,226

  Source: Statistics Canada, Table 33–10–0493–01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, December 2021.

• Number of private sector employees in 2021

  Small:
  8,204,600 (67.7%)
  Medium:
  2,476,500 (20.4%)
  Large:
  1,433,300 (11.8%)
  Total:
  12,114,400

  Sources: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey (LFS); and calculations by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

• Contribution to gross domestic product (GDP)

  From 2015 to 2019, the average contribution of small businesses to GDP was 38.1%, the contribution of medium-sized businesses was 14.3% and the contribution of large businesses was 50.0%.

  Source: KSBS, December 2022