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August 15, 2024BUSINESS COUNTS, JUNE 2024 Statistics Canada today released business counts data for June 2024.
The number of business locations in Nova Scotia with employees increased 0.71% between December 2023 and June 2024. Across Canada, business counts increased by 0.47% with gains in all provinces except Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Alberta reported the fastest growth in business counts over this period (followed by Nova Scotia).
The number of goods producing locations increased 0.8% in Nova Scotia - the fastest gain among provinces. Nationally, the count of goods producing businesses was up 0.1% with gains in six provinces. Newfoundland and Labrador reported the steepest decline in goods producing businesses.
The number of service businesses was up 0.5% in Nova Scotia - the same pace as the national average. The numbers of service businesses were up in six provinces (led by Ontario). Newfoundland and Labrador reported the steepest drop in the number of service businesses.
Grouping business counts by employment size, Nova Scotia reported faster growth in the business counts for larger employers (500+ employees and 200-499 employees) as well as for those that employed between 1 and 4 employees. Business counts were down in Nova Scotia for those that employed 5-9 employees as well as for enterprises with 50-99 employees and those with 100-199 employees.
Among industries, the number of health/social (including daycares) as well as information/culture businesses reported the largest percentage gains from December 2023 to June 2024. There was also a larger rise in unclassified business counts. Business counts were down for finance/insurance, administrative/business support (including call centres), wholesale trade, utilities and company management.
In the Halifax and East Hants Census Metropolitan Area, the business count for large employers was up more than for any other size. Utilities had the fastest declining business count in Halifax/East Hants while mining/quarrying reported the largest gain.
Across Nova Scotia outside Halifax and East Hants, the business count grew fastest for businesses with 200-499 employees. Utilities posted the fastest gain in business counts outside Halifax and East Hants while mining/quarrying had the steepest decline in business counts.
Among Canada's Census Metropolitan Areas (CMA), Halifax and East Hants reported a 1.0% increase in business counts across all industries and sizes. Belleville-Quinte West and Chilliwack reported the fastest rises in business counts while Guelph posted the steepest decline.
**NOTE: A PREVIOUS VERSION OF BUSINESS COUNTS BY COUNTY HAD INCORRECT INFORMATION. A CORRECTED VERSION FOLLOWS**
Among Nova Scotia's counties, Annapolis reported the fastest percentage growth in business counts from December 2023 to June 2024. Of the 5 counties reporting declining business counts, Pictou and Shelburne Counties reported the sharpest declines.
The number of businesses in a particular industry or location is not an indicator of its economic significance; employment, output and income generated are 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 (wholesale, retail, transportation) and personal service industries make up a more consistent share of business counts across the country, with a somewhat higher share in Manitoba.
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. Newfoundland and Labrador reported a higher portion of unclassified businesses.
Among Nova Scotia's counties, goods-businesses are a larger share of total business counts in Shelburne, Yarmouth, Digby, Guysborough, Richmond and Victoria counties (notably from agriculture, forestry and fishing).
Distributive and personal services businesses are more uniformly distributed across Nova Scotia's counties, though with somewhat larger concentrations in Pictou, Colchester, Cumberland, Annapolis and Cape Breton counties.
Financial, real estate, professional and administrative services were more concentrated in Halifax - particularly for professional and technical services as well as real estate and leasing.
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 33-10-0806-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, June 2024; Table 33-10-0808-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, census metropolitan areas and census subdivisions, June 2024; Table 33-10-0717-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, December 2023;Table 33-10-0719-01 Canadian Business Counts, with employees, census metropolitan areas and census subdivisions, December 2023
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