5.1 Women Entrepreneurs and their Businesses
2 MIN READ
Key facts about women entrepreneurs
- Businesses owned by women tend to be smaller. In fact, 92.7% of them have fewer than 20 employees.2
- The proportion of businesses owned by women is higher in urban regions (16.5%) than in rural areas (11.8%), which is also the case for businesses owned by men.3
- In general, more women entrepreneurs have completed post-secondary studies, compared to men (78.2% for women vs. 68.4% for men).4
Women-owned businesses across Canada5
The national average for businesses majority-owned by women is 15.6%.
Did you also know that…
- The Prairie provinces have the highest proportion (approximately 31%) of businesses owned equally by women and men. This figure is highest in Saskatchewan (36%).6
- The Atlantic provinces have the highest proportion (15.4%) of exclusively women-owned businesses (100% ownership).7
- Quebec has the highest proportion of exclusively men-owned businesses (100% ownership), as well as one of the highest proportions of exclusively women-owned businesses, just behind the Atlantic provinces and British Columbia.8
Our toolkit includes data taken from the 2017 Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises. The 2022 Survey is available at the following link: https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/220302/dq220302b-cansim-eng.htm
However, please note that the data included in this most recent survey is greatly influenced by the recent worldwide pandemic, making it difficult to compare it to the stats included in our toolkit which are based on a pre-pandemic period survey.
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References
1 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 40, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
2 Douwere Grekou, Jiang Li and Huju Liu (September 2018). Women-owned Enterprises in Canada, Statistics Canada, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-626-x/11-626-x2018083-eng.htm (page consulted January 11th 2021).; Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (2020). The State of Women’s Entrepreneurship in Canada 2020, Toronto, Diversity Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University, p. 7.
3 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
4 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Tables 31 and 40, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
5 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
6 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
7 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
8 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
2 Douwere Grekou, Jiang Li and Huju Liu (September 2018). Women-owned Enterprises in Canada, Statistics Canada, https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/pub/11-626-x/11-626-x2018083-eng.htm (page consulted January 11th 2021).; Women Entrepreneurship Knowledge Hub (2020). The State of Women’s Entrepreneurship in Canada 2020, Toronto, Diversity Institute, Toronto Metropolitan University, p. 7.
3 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
4 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Tables 31 and 40, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
5 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
6 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
7 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
8 ISED (2018). Survey on financing and growth of small and medium enterprises (SFGSME), Table 31, 2017, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Government of Canada, https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/061.nsf/vwapj/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf/$file/SFGSME-EFCPME_2017_eng_public.pdf (page consulted October 23rd 2020).
Disclaimer
All documents prepared for the LEADING LENDERS project were developed in line with the most appropriate and recent terminology. However, we recognize that terminology is subject to change over time. To the best of our ability, we have attempted to use terminology that respects the dignity and rights of all individuals.
All documents prepared for the LEADING LENDERS project were developed in line with the most appropriate and recent terminology. However, we recognize that terminology is subject to change over time. To the best of our ability, we have attempted to use terminology that respects the dignity and rights of all individuals.
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