BUY BC BUSINESSES Business Buyer's Guide Vancouver Island Coastal Region Spring 2015 | Page 18
Small Business Profile
Entrepreneurs and small business are critical to the economic health and prosperity of our communities. From creating and
maintaining jobs that support families, to producing goods and services, small business is the engine driving British
Columbia’s economy.
Small business accounts for 98% of all business in British Columbia
Of the 382,200 small businesses operating in the province in 2013, 81% had fewer than 5 employees
In 2013, 31% of BC’s Gross Domestic Product was generated by small business, compared to the national average of 29
percent
BC ranks first in the country for the number of small businesses per capita, with 83.4 small businesses per 1,000 people.
The national average was 70.1
55% of private sector jobs in 2013 were provided by small businesses; second highest in Canada and well above the
national average of 49%
Small business employed an estimated 1,032,900 people in the province in 2013
In 2013, small business provided 32 percent of all wages paid to workers in BC, the highest share of all provinces. The
national average was 26%
The accommodation and food services industry was the largest provider of new small business jobs in BC between
2008 and 2013. Employment in their industry climbed 9.1 percent, creating approximately 8,2000 new jobs over the
five year period
For information relating to small business, please visit:
Www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca