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August 17, 2023BUSINESS COUNTS, JUNE 2023 Statistics Canada today released business counts data for June 2023.
The number of business locations in Nova Scotia with employees increased 1.5% between December 2022 and June 2023. Across Canada, business counts increased by 1.0% with gains in all provinces except New Brunswick (which were little changed). Prince Edward Island and Nova Scotia reported the fastest growth in business counts over this period.
The number of goods producing locations increased 1.3% in Nova Scotia. Nationally, the count of goods producing businesses was up 0.9% with gains in all provinces except New Brunswick and Saskatchewan. Prince Edward Island reported the fastest growth.
The number of service businesses was up 1.3% in Nova Scotia - the same pace as growth in goods industries (unclassified businesses were also up: +4.7%). Nationally the number of service businesses were up 1.0% with gains in all provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador and New Brunswick (both of which reported negligible declines). Prince Edward Island and Saskatchewan reported the fastest growth.
Grouping business counts by employment size, there was faster growth in the business counts for larger employers than for smaller employers.
For Nova Scotia, growth in business counts was faster for businesses with larger numbers of employees (though this is a smaller number overall). Among industries, the number of public administration businesses reported the largest percentage growth, followed (distantly) by transportation, professional and technical services and construction. Information and cultural industries reported the largest percentage decline in business counts in Nova Scotia between December 2022 and June 2023.
In Halifax, the business count for medium-sized employers (50-99 employees) outpaced growth in other business sizes. Public administration was also the fastest growing business count in Halifax while mining and quarrying reported the largest decline.
Across Nova Scotia outside Halifax, the business count grew fastest for both large employers as well as for employers with 10-19 employees. Public administration also reported the fastest business count growth outside Halifax. Businesses in mining and quarrying, company management, professional and technical services and education also reported faster growth rates outside Halifax. Information and culture businesses outside Halifax reported the largest percentage decline in business counts.
Among Canada's Census Metropolitan Areas (CMA), Halifax and East Hants reported a 2.3% increase in business counts across all industries and sizes. This was the third fastest growth in business counts for a CMA after Brantford and Nanaimo. St. John's and Fredericton reported the largest percentage declines in business counts among CMAs.
Among Nova Scotia's counties, Guysborough, Yarmouth, Lunenburg and Victoria reported faster percentage growth in business counts from December 2022 to June 2023. Only Annapolis, Antigonish and Inverness reported declining business counts.
The number of businesses in a particular industry or location is not an indicator of its economic significance; employment, output and income generated are some better indicators of economic contributions. However, in addition to growth rates, the relative share of businesses by industry provides some insight on the economic structure of a particular location, relative to other jurisdictions.
Across Canada, businesses in goods industries make up a larger share of all businesses in Saskatchewan and the Maritime provinces. Goods businesses are a lower share of all businesses in Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador.
Distribution and personal service industries make up a more consistent share of business counts across the country, with a somewhat higher share in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Real estate, finance, professional services, information and culture, company management as well as administrative and business support businesses are notably more concentrated in Canada's four most urban provinces: Ontario, British Columbia, Alberta and Québec.
Health, social, education and public administration businesses make up a similar share of business counts across most provinces.
Among Nova Scotia's counties, goods-businesses are a larger share of total business counts in Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby, Guysborough and Victoria counties (notably from agriculture, forestry and fishing).
Distributive and personal services businesses are more uniformly distributed across Nova Scotia's counties.
Financial, real estate, professional and administrative services were more concentrated in Halifax (particularly for professional and technical services).
Health, social, education and public administration businesses were larger shares of all businesses in Halifax, Antigonish, Cape Breton, Kings and Queens counties.
Key definitions for Statistics Canada's Business Register:
Statistical Enterprise
An enterprise is the legal operating entity at the top of the operating structure. There is only one enterprise per operating structure. It is associated with a complete set of financial statements.
Statistical Establishment
A statistical establishment is the production entity or the smallest grouping of production entities which:
- Produces a homogeneous set of goods or services;
- Does not cross provincial boundaries; and
- Provides data on the value of output together with the cost of principal intermediate inputs used along with the cost and quantity of labour resources used to produce the output.
- For example, a plant in the manufacturing industry which provides accounting information regarding the value of shipments (sales), direct costs and labour costs is considered a single establishment. However, two stores in the retail industry may be considered one establishment if the accounting information, described in item (c) above, is not available separately, but is combined at a higher level.
Statistical Location
The location is an operating entity, specifically a production entity which:
- Conducts economic activity at or from a single physical location or group of locations;
- Resides within the smallest standardized geographical area;
- Is able to provide employment data at a minimum.
- Multiple locations can be found under a single enterprise.
Sources: Statistics Canada. Table 33-10-0661-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, December 2022; Table 33-10-0663-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, census metropolitan areas and census subdivisions, December 2022; Table 33-10-0717-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, June 2023; Table 33-10-0719-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, census metropolitan areas and census subdivisions, June 2023
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