Starting a new business in Canada: A report from the Survey on Employment and Skills
Entrepreneurship is essential for economic growth, innovation, and job creation. In Canada, most private sector employment is in small and medium-sized enterprises, and many Canadians are self-employed. As of 2023, self-employed individuals represent 13.2% of Canada’s labour force, ranging from precarious gig workers to highly paid specialists. Women represent a large portion of this population.
This study provides insights into Canada’s entrepreneurial landscape, highlighting regional differences, demographic disparities, and motivations for self-employment. Understanding these variations can help tailor initiatives to support entrepreneurship more effectively and foster an inclusive and dynamic entrepreneurial ecosystem that drives economic growth and innovation.
This study is based on a multi-year survey conducted by the Environics Institute in partnership with the Diversity Institute and the Future Skills Centre. It explores Canadians’ entrepreneurial experiences, intentions, and needs while focusing on demographic differences. This report focuses on the sixth wave of the survey, conducted from October 13 to November 23, 2023, which included a sample of 5,968 respondents from across the country.
Key Insights
Ontario had the highest entrepreneurial intent (47%), followed by Alberta and British Columbia (44% each). The Atlantic region and Saskatchewan had the lowest entrepreneurial aspirations (30%).
Younger Canadians showed higher entrepreneurial intentions, peaking at 56.5% in the 18-20 year age range and decreasing with age. Indigenous respondents had higher entrepreneurial intentions (62%) than non-Indigenous counterparts (39%).
The primary motivation for self-employment among those who are not currently self-employed was the desire for autonomy and control (53%). Other motivations included pursuing unique opportunities (42%), achieving work-life balance (39%), and effectively delivering professional services (26%).
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