There’s nothing small about the impact small businesses have on B.C.’s economy according to the 2015 Small Businesses Profile, released on October 2.
Approximately 33% of the province’s gross domestic product is generated by B.C.’s small businesses – well above the Canadian average of 30%.
The Small Business Profile is an annual statistical report which demonstrates the important role small businesses play in B.C. through job creation, economic investment, exports and contributions to the province’s gross domestic product.
Some of the 2015 Profile highlights include:
- For the fourth year in a row, B.C. ranks first in Canada (tied with Saskatchewan) for the number of small businesses per capita with 82.6 small businesses per 1,000 people.
- Small businesses employ over one million British Columbians, which is 54% of all private sector jobs in B.C.
- B.C.’s small businesses shipped approximately $11 billion worth of merchandise to international destinations in 2014 which is more than one-third of all the goods exported from the province. Forty-two per cent of those goods went to destinations outside the US, which means small businesses are helping strengthen our economy by diversifying our trading relationships beyond North America.
- About 382,600 small businesses were operating in B.C. in 2014, representing approximately 98% of all businesses in the province.
Produced by the Province and BC Stats, the Small Business Profile is released every October.
More information:
Small Business Profile: http://www.resourcecentre.gov.bc.ca/pdf/SmallBusEngWeb.pdf
Small Business Profile highlights: http://www.resourcecentre.gov.bc.ca/pdf/SB-Highlights.pdf
Small Business Resources:
http://www.resourcecentre.gov.bc.ca/pdf/Small_Business_Resource_Handout.pdf
