This study aims to provide new insights into factors contributing to nascent entrepreneurship in rural Canada and analyze whether the motivation to become a nascent entrepreneur in rural Canada is driven by opportunity or necessity.
This report is based on 14 case studies of individuals who have been working for large companies and who have decided to launch their own companies at midpoint in their career.
This report investigates how entrepreneurship is supported and delivered within Canadian Higher Education Institutions.
The Small Business Branch has produced, in collaboration with professors Eileen Fischer (York University) and Rebecca Reuber (University of Toronto), a report that provides a portrait of the state of entrepreneurship in Canada.
Fast facts
In 2022, there are 1.22 million SMEs in Canada that have employees.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
97.8% of businesses in Canada have fewer than 100 employees.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
Between 2016 and 2020, on average, 101,921 businesses were created every year and 96,548 disappeared.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
In 2022, private sector SMEs employ around 8 million people in Canada.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
22% of SMEs operate in goods-producing industries and 78% of SMEs operate in service industries.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
SMEs were responsible for $293 billion (40.8%) of Canada's total value of goods exports in 2022.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
2.6% of firms with 10 employees or more were high-growth firms in 2020.
Source: Key Small Business Statistics
SMEs contributed 49% of Canada's GDP in 2020.
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