Fast facts
There are 1.21 million SMEs in Canada that have employees.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
98% of businesses in Canada have fewer than 100 employees.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
Between 2015 and 2019, on average, 101,324 businesses were created every year and 90,151 disappeared.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
Private sector SMEs employ over 10 million people in Canada.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
21% of SMEs operate in goods-producing industries and 79% of SMEs operate in service industries.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
SMEs were responsible for $246 billion (43%) of Canada's total value of goods exports in 2021.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
3.4% of firms with 10 employees or more were high-growth firms in 2019.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
SMEs contributed 50% of Canada's GDP in 2019.
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