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 2024

  Small:
  1,079,188 (98.2%)

  Medium:
  16,953 (1.5%)

  Large:
  3,380 (0.3%)

  Total:
  1,099,521

   

  Sources: Statistics Canada, Business Register; and ISED calculations.

• Number of private sector employees in 2024

  Small:
  5,838,467 (46.6%)

  Medium:
  2,134,145 (17.0%)

  Large:
  4,556,119 (36.4%)

  Total:
  12,528,731

   

  Sources: Statistics Canada, Table 14-10-0215-01 - Employment for all employees by enterprise size, annual; and ISED calculations.

• Contribution to gross domestic product (GDP)

  From 2018 to 2022, the average contribution of small businesses to GDP was 34.2%, the contribution of medium-sized businesses was 13.6% and the contribution of large businesses was 45.5%.

   

  Source: KSBS 2025.