HOW MANY BUSINESSES ARE THERE IN SASKATCHEWAN?
As of January 2019, Saskatchewan had 41,360 businesses. About 98.3% are small businesses (1–99 employees), nearly 1.5% are medium-sized (100–499 employees), and 0.2% are large businesses (500+ employees). The percentages translate to 40,662 small, 614 medium-sized, and 84 large businesses.
CONTRIBUTION OF SASKATCHEWAN BUSINESSES TO EMPLOYMENT GROWTH
Between 2013 and 2018, Saskatchewan small businesses contributed 131.2% to net employment growth* in the private sector. This is well above the Canadian average of 56.8%. Medium-sized companies contributed −32.1% to net employment growth (vs. the Canadian average of 16.6%) and large businesses contributed 0.9% (Canadian average, 26.5%).
*Net employment growth is the difference in employment from 2013 to 2018. Contribution is net employment growth for the business size divided by the net employment growth of the province.
HOW MANY BUSINESSES EXPORT FROM SASKATCHEWAN?
The concentration of exporters in Saskatchewan is 3.48% with an average of $12.9 million in exports per establishment (the location responsible for producing the goods for export). Saskatchewan ranks 6th among the provinces in concentration and 5th in value of exports per establishment. In 2018, Saskatchewan had 1,440 exporters.
Source:
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, Small Business Branch, Research and Analysis Directorate. “Key Small Business Statistics Report.” Industry Canada, Nov. 2019.
• Statistics Canada. “Trade in Goods by Exporter and Importer Characteristics: Interactive Tool,” Statistics Canada, Dec. 2019. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/71-607-x/71-607-x2019009-eng.htm.
First published in the June 2020 edition of The Business Advisor.