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February 10, 2022BUSINESS COUNTS IN NOVA SCOTIA, DECEMBER 2021 Statistics Canada today released business counts data for December 2021. They noted that the counts may reflect some of the business openings and closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, however they will not be fully represented as the evolving resumption or permanent closure of businesses may not yet be fully processed and confirmed by Statistics Canada's Business Register.
The number of business locations in Nova Scotia with employees declined 0.3% between Jun-2021 and Dec-2021. The number of goods producing locations increased 0.5%, and total services sector locations decreased 0.5%.
For goods producing locations in Nova Scotia with employees, the declines were registered in mining/oil/gas and agriculture, forestry and fishing. Utilities posted the largest increase in goods producing locations. There were increases in construction and manufacturing.
For services producing locations in Nova Scotia with employees, all industries except education, health care and social assistance, accommodation and food services, and real estate registered declines in the number of locations. The largest declines, in percentage terms, were registered in management of companies and enterprises, administrative, waste management and remediation and finance and insurance industries.
The number of business locations in Halifax increased 1.0% from the previous period. Overall goods producing businesses increased by 2.8% while service producing businesses increased by 0.9%.
Outside of Halifax, the number of business locations declined by 1.2%. Overall goods producing businesses declined by 0.3% while service producing businesses declined by 1.8%. Unclassified business locations increased by 2.0% compared to June 2021.
Provincially by Sector
Nationally, goods sector locations with employees increased 1.2% from Jun-2021 to Dec-2021. In percentage terms, the largest gains were reported in Prince Edward Island (+2.4%) and British Columbia (+2.2%). Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Saskatchewan reported declines in goods producing business locations.
From Jun-2021 to Dec-2021, the number of services sector locations with employees increased 0.3% across Canada. Ontario, British Columbia and Manitoba were the only provinces reporting increases from the previous period. The largest declines were registered in Newfoundland and Labrador and Saskatchewan.
Nationally, total business counts for locations with employees increased 0.7% from Jun-2021 to Dec-2021. Four provinces reported gains with Ontario (+1.4%) posting the largest increase. Six provinces reported declines with Saskatchewan (-1.2%) and Newfoundland and Labrador (-1.0%) posting the largest declines.
Census Metropolitan Areas
Among census metropolitan areas, Oshawa (+3.1%) and Barrie (+2.8%) reported the largest increases in business locations. The only declines were reported in Saguenay (-0.9%), Peterborough (-0.2%) and Thunder Bay (-0.1%) when comparing June 2021 to December 2021.
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 33-10-0493-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, December 2021, Table 33-10-0495-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, census metropolitan areas and census subdivisions, December 2021, Table 33-10-0395-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, June 2021, Table 33-10-0397-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, census metropolitan areas and census subdivisions, June 2021
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