Saskatchewan Small Businesses Account for 98.8% of Provincial Firms

Small Business Week has highlighted the contributions of small businesses to employment, economic activity and communities. The data show that small businesses account for most businesses in Saskatchewan and employ close to 2.5 million people in Ontario.

Saskatchewan’s latest profile shows small firms make up nearly all businesses in the province, while a payroll-based report suggests Canadian small-business workplaces are growing, paying more and being reshaped by younger workers.

Saskatchewan small-business data

Saskatchewan marked Oct. 19 to 25 as Small Business Week, citing its 2025 Small Business Profile, which counted 156,850 small businesses in the province. Saskatchewan ranks second nationally on a per-capita basis for small businesses.

Businesses with fewer than 50 employees accounted for 98.8 per cent of all Saskatchewan businesses in 2025. They employed about 30 per cent of the province’s workforce and provided more than $8.3 billion in wages and salaries.

“Saskatchewan’s entrepreneurial spirit is strong,” Trade and Export Development Minister Warren Kaeding said. “Our small businesses create jobs, support families and contribute to the economic vitality of communities throughout Saskatchewan.”

Prabha Ramaswamy, chief executive officer of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce, described the businesses as “the heart of Saskatchewan’s economy.”

“They employ our neighbours, serve our communities, and keep our towns and cities across the province strong,” she said.

Saskatchewan small-business tax policy

The Saskatchewan government points to its permanent one per cent small-business tax rate as part of its support for the sector. It has also raised the income threshold for that rate from $500,000 to $600,000.

Saskatchewan says small businesses provide products and services that help build vibrant and sustainable communities. Saskatchewan says its small businesses operate across the economy, including agriculture, mining and manufacturing.

The week itself is an initiative of the Business Development Bank of Canada intended to highlight entrepreneurship’s role in economic growth.

Canadian small-business workforce trends

According to Wagepoint’s 2026 Canadian Small Business Workforce Report, average headcount per small business rose 44 per cent between 2019 and 2025, increasing from 13.3 employees to 19.1.

The same report found the annual separation rate declined from 38 per cent to 27 per cent over that period.

“Payroll data gives us a real-world view of how Canada’s small businesses are changing, from who they hire to how they pay and retain their people,” Ben Richmond, CEO of Wagepoint, said in the release.

The report, based on aggregated payroll data from Wagepoint customers, also found Gen Z’s share of the workforce rose from 18 per cent to 38 per cent between 2019 and 2025. Millennials’ share fell from 55 per cent to 41 per cent.

Median hourly pay increased 27 per cent, from $20.97 to $26.70, according to the report.

Ontario small-business tax relief and advisory centre funding

In Ontario, Associate Minister Nina Tangri said in a statement that more than 500,000 small businesses employ close to 2.5 million people in the province.

Tangri said the 2026 Ontario Budget reduced the small-business corporate income tax rate from 3.2 per cent to 2.2 per cent, delivering $1.1 billion in relief. She also announced $49 million over the next three years for Ontario Small Business Advisory Centres.

In a separate Small Business Week message, the Airdrie City View, itself a small business, said it understood the hopes and dreams of business owners. It added: “We salute you fellow dreamers and we honour your commitment to the entrepreneurial spirit that moves at the heart of every business.”

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