Big Question
Economy & productivityStandingBlocked
Is Canada renewing its business base?
A stable employer count can conceal substantial entry, return and closure. Reading that movement beside corporate credit and insolvencies helps explain the business environment without confusing different populations or treating every closure as a failure.
A stable employer count can conceal substantial entry, return and closure. Reading that movement beside corporate credit and insolvencies helps explain the business environment without confusing different populations or treating every closure as a failure.
Business Dynamism & Credit · assessed 2026-09-09
A near-flat business count hides a busy economy.
Employers open, return and stop employing people every month. Read that movement alongside corporate borrowing, lenders’ conditions and formal insolvencies to see different parts of the business environment.
Active employer businesses936,9592026-05 · Canada · seasonally adjusted
Change from a year earlier-891-0.10% · same count series
Business insolvency filings4,74212 months to 2026-07 · bankruptcies and proposals under the BIA
An opening can be a returning employer. A closure can be temporary. Insolvency filings and corporate debt cover different populations from the employer counts; they cannot be divided into a common business failure rate or used to establish causes.
Employer dynamics: 2026-05 · corporate debt: 2026-06 · insolvencies: 2026-07 · lending survey: 2026 Q2
Opening employers46,1222026-05 · returning employers and entrants
Closing employers46,858Transition from employees to no employees
Change in active employers-107From the preceding month · seasonally adjusted
The opening rate is 4.92% and the closing rate is 5.00%. Each is calculated as the current month’s count divided by the preceding month’s active count, 937,066. These are Countability’s count-based rates, not a separate published rate series.
Active employer businesses, Canada
Businesses · seasonally adjusted
Some observations carry issuer quality warnings. The following data table identifies each affected period.
Data: Active employer businesses, Canada
| Period | Businesses · seasonally adjusted | Source quality |
|---|---|---|
| 2015-01 | 870,075 | No flag |
| 2015-02 | 872,346 | No flag |
| 2015-03 | 874,296 | No flag |
| 2015-04 | 874,990 | No flag |
| 2015-05 | 877,874 | No flag |
| 2015-06 | 876,485 | No flag |
| 2015-07 | 879,082 | No flag |
| 2015-08 | 880,757 | No flag |
| 2015-09 | 878,856 | No flag |
| 2015-10 | 880,236 | No flag |
| 2015-11 | 881,002 | No flag |
| 2015-12 | 878,682 | No flag |
| 2016-01 | 890,436 | Use with caution |
| 2016-02 | 880,129 | No flag |
| 2016-03 | 879,629 | No flag |
| 2016-04 | 882,255 | No flag |
| 2016-05 | 881,281 | No flag |
| 2016-06 | 881,448 | No flag |
| 2016-07 | 881,149 | No flag |
| 2016-08 | 881,019 | No flag |
| 2016-09 | 880,469 | No flag |
| 2016-10 | 880,924 | No flag |
| 2016-11 | 881,359 | No flag |
| 2016-12 | 884,015 | No flag |
| 2017-01 | 886,144 | No flag |
| 2017-02 | 889,213 | No flag |
| 2017-03 | 884,226 | No flag |
| 2017-04 | 885,781 | No flag |
| 2017-05 | 888,947 | No flag |
| 2017-06 | 892,660 | No flag |
| 2017-07 | 888,703 | No flag |
| 2017-08 | 890,797 | No flag |
| 2017-09 | 893,263 | No flag |
| 2017-10 | 891,845 | No flag |
| 2017-11 | 892,760 | No flag |
| 2017-12 | 892,488 | No flag |
| 2018-01 | 893,197 | No flag |
| 2018-02 | 895,348 | No flag |
| 2018-03 | 896,385 | No flag |
| 2018-04 | 897,626 | No flag |
| 2018-05 | 894,658 | No flag |
| 2018-06 | 900,096 | No flag |
| 2018-07 | 900,152 | No flag |
| 2018-08 | 897,639 | No flag |
| 2018-09 | 898,691 | No flag |
| 2018-10 | 899,546 | No flag |
| 2018-11 | 899,296 | No flag |
| 2018-12 | 899,564 | No flag |
| 2019-01 | 899,133 | No flag |
| 2019-02 | 900,562 | No flag |
| 2019-03 | 903,380 | No flag |
| 2019-04 | 904,602 | No flag |
| 2019-05 | 906,063 | No flag |
| 2019-06 | 906,961 | No flag |
| 2019-07 | 908,005 | No flag |
| 2019-08 | 909,172 | No flag |
| 2019-09 | 907,822 | No flag |
| 2019-10 | 906,892 | No flag |
| 2019-11 | 905,238 | No flag |
| 2019-12 | 906,932 | No flag |
| 2020-01 | 904,346 | Use with caution |
| 2020-02 | 903,195 | No flag |
| 2020-03 | 873,784 | No flag |
| 2020-04 | 816,298 | No flag |
| 2020-05 | 793,165 | No flag |
| 2020-06 | 799,906 | Use with caution |
| 2020-07 | 821,262 | No flag |
| 2020-08 | 836,967 | No flag |
| 2020-09 | 852,654 | No flag |
| 2020-10 | 862,501 | No flag |
| 2020-11 | 863,966 | No flag |
| 2020-12 | 878,538 | Use with caution |
| 2021-01 | 883,010 | No flag |
| 2021-02 | 887,750 | No flag |
| 2021-03 | 893,305 | No flag |
| 2021-04 | 892,885 | No flag |
| 2021-05 | 893,565 | No flag |
| 2021-06 | 893,151 | No flag |
| 2021-07 | 901,562 | No flag |
| 2021-08 | 903,641 | No flag |
| 2021-09 | 905,253 | No flag |
| 2021-10 | 909,234 | No flag |
| 2021-11 | 911,894 | No flag |
| 2021-12 | 913,858 | No flag |
| 2022-01 | 918,588 | No flag |
| 2022-02 | 919,950 | No flag |
| 2022-03 | 922,551 | No flag |
| 2022-04 | 925,517 | No flag |
| 2022-05 | 926,249 | No flag |
| 2022-06 | 926,833 | No flag |
| 2022-07 | 927,742 | No flag |
| 2022-08 | 928,101 | No flag |
| 2022-09 | 928,848 | No flag |
| 2022-10 | 928,575 | No flag |
| 2022-11 | 928,187 | No flag |
| 2022-12 | 930,363 | No flag |
| 2023-01 | 935,128 | No flag |
| 2023-02 | 934,869 | No flag |
| 2023-03 | 929,764 | No flag |
| 2023-04 | 928,406 | No flag |
| 2023-05 | 933,072 | No flag |
| 2023-06 | 935,019 | No flag |
| 2023-07 | 934,056 | No flag |
| 2023-08 | 935,241 | No flag |
| 2023-09 | 933,914 | No flag |
| 2023-10 | 935,002 | No flag |
| 2023-11 | 936,392 | No flag |
| 2023-12 | 936,139 | No flag |
| 2024-01 | 939,023 | No flag |
| 2024-02 | 939,471 | No flag |
| 2024-03 | 939,631 | No flag |
| 2024-04 | 938,640 | No flag |
| 2024-05 | 939,269 | No flag |
| 2024-06 | 936,953 | No flag |
| 2024-07 | 937,892 | No flag |
| 2024-08 | 936,971 | No flag |
| 2024-09 | 937,169 | No flag |
| 2024-10 | 937,636 | No flag |
| 2024-11 | 936,396 | No flag |
| 2024-12 | 938,261 | No flag |
| 2025-01 | 938,258 | No flag |
| 2025-02 | 938,326 | No flag |
| 2025-03 | 938,170 | No flag |
| 2025-04 | 937,780 | No flag |
| 2025-05 | 937,850 | No flag |
| 2025-06 | 938,630 | No flag |
| 2025-07 | 938,561 | No flag |
| 2025-08 | 938,539 | No flag |
| 2025-09 | 939,754 | No flag |
| 2025-10 | 937,976 | No flag |
| 2025-11 | 938,515 | No flag |
| 2025-12 | 937,801 | No flag |
| 2026-01 | 936,326 | No flag |
| 2026-02 | 936,065 | No flag |
| 2026-03 | 935,719 | No flag |
| 2026-04 | 937,066 | No flag |
| 2026-05 | 936,959 | No flag |
Openings minus closures is -736, while the active count changes by -107. The difference is 629. Seasonal adjustment and the construction of these separate series mean their rounded values need not form an exact accounting identity. The discrepancy is retained.
Monthly national employer record
| Month | Active | Monthly change | Annual change (%) | Openings | Closures | Opening rate (%) | Closing rate (%) | Entrants |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-01 | 870,075 | Not published · No record | Not published · No record | 42,422 | 36,131 | Not published · No record | Not published · No record | 17,566 |
| 2015-02 | 872,346 | 2,271 | Not published · No record | 42,576 | 36,658 | 4.89 | 4.21 | 16,621 |
| 2015-03 | 874,296 | 1,950 | Not published · No record | 38,921 | 36,089 | 4.46 | 4.14 | 15,985 |
| 2015-04 | 874,990 | 694 | Not published · No record | 40,080 | 39,125 | 4.58 | 4.48 | 16,796 |
| 2015-05 | 877,874 | 2,884 | Not published · No record | 40,869 | 36,576 | 4.67 | 4.18 | 14,793 |
| 2015-06 | 876,485 | -1,389 | Not published · No record | 37,545 | 39,085 | 4.28 | 4.45 | 12,831 |
| 2015-07 | 879,082 | 2,597 | Not published · No record | 41,336 | 38,242 | 4.72 | 4.36 | 16,807 |
| 2015-08 | 880,757 | 1,675 | Not published · No record | 39,594 | 37,223 | 4.50 | 4.23 | 14,975 |
| 2015-09 | 878,856 | -1,901 | Not published · No record | 33,138 | 38,014 | 3.76 | 4.32 | 12,477 |
| 2015-10 | 880,236 | 1,380 | Not published · No record | 41,214 | 39,083 | 4.69 | 4.45 | 16,799 |
| 2015-11 | 881,002 | 766 | Not published · No record | 43,115 | 38,528 | 4.90 | 4.38 | 17,784 |
| 2015-12 | 878,682 | -2,320 | Not published · No record | 38,154 | 39,328 | 4.33 | 4.46 | 17,672 |
| 2016-01 | 890,436 · Use with caution | 11,754 · Use with caution | 2.34 · Use with caution | 42,678 | 38,188 | 4.86 | 4.35 | 16,363 |
| 2016-02 | 880,129 | -10,307 · Use with caution | 0.89 | 40,023 | 46,531 | 4.49 · Use with caution | 5.23 · Use with caution | 15,026 |
| 2016-03 | 879,629 | -500 | 0.61 | 40,835 | 40,487 | 4.64 | 4.60 | 15,255 |
| 2016-04 | 882,255 | 2,626 | 0.83 | 41,857 | 39,131 | 4.76 | 4.45 | 15,627 |
| 2016-05 | 881,281 | -974 | 0.39 | 39,990 | 39,753 | 4.53 | 4.51 | 15,655 |
| 2016-06 | 881,448 | 167 | 0.57 | 38,076 | 38,041 | 4.32 | 4.32 | 12,467 |
| 2016-07 | 881,149 | -299 | 0.24 | 44,581 | 44,540 | 5.06 | 5.05 | 17,453 |
| 2016-08 | 881,019 | -130 | 0.03 | 40,405 | 40,800 | 4.59 | 4.63 | 16,079 |
| 2016-09 | 880,469 | -550 | 0.18 | 36,657 | 39,777 | 4.16 | 4.51 | 12,855 |
| 2016-10 | 880,924 | 455 | 0.08 | 41,976 | 41,230 | 4.77 | 4.68 | 16,038 |
| 2016-11 | 881,359 | 435 | 0.04 | 47,368 | 41,958 | 5.38 | 4.76 | 21,298 |
| 2016-12 | 884,015 | 2,656 | 0.61 | 42,165 | 40,377 | 4.78 | 4.58 | 15,999 |
| 2017-01 | 886,144 | 2,129 | -0.48 · Use with caution | 40,154 | 41,382 | 4.54 | 4.68 | 15,379 |
| 2017-02 | 889,213 | 3,069 | 1.03 | 41,286 | 37,051 | 4.66 | 4.18 | 16,169 |
| 2017-03 | 884,226 | -4,987 | 0.52 | 41,108 | 44,996 | 4.62 | 5.06 | 16,355 |
| 2017-04 | 885,781 | 1,555 | 0.40 | 41,450 | 40,217 | 4.69 | 4.55 | 15,354 |
| 2017-05 | 888,947 | 3,166 | 0.87 | 41,939 | 35,907 | 4.73 | 4.05 | 15,363 |
| 2017-06 | 892,660 | 3,713 | 1.27 | 43,246 | 40,658 | 4.86 | 4.57 | 16,541 |
| 2017-07 | 888,703 | -3,957 | 0.86 | 37,106 | 41,529 | 4.16 | 4.65 | 13,173 |
| 2017-08 | 890,797 | 2,094 | 1.11 | 42,451 | 40,344 | 4.78 | 4.54 | 15,345 |
| 2017-09 | 893,263 | 2,466 | 1.45 | 42,719 | 42,141 | 4.80 | 4.73 | 16,486 |
| 2017-10 | 891,845 | -1,418 | 1.24 | 39,317 | 41,256 | 4.40 | 4.62 | 15,849 |
| 2017-11 | 892,760 | 915 | 1.29 | 38,697 | 34,098 | 4.34 | 3.82 | 13,182 |
| 2017-12 | 892,488 | -272 | 0.96 | 41,030 | 41,484 | 4.60 | 4.65 | 14,617 |
| 2018-01 | 893,197 | 709 | 0.80 | 40,502 | 41,143 | 4.54 | 4.61 | 15,033 |
| 2018-02 | 895,348 | 2,151 | 0.69 | 41,761 | 39,581 | 4.68 | 4.43 | 15,740 |
| 2018-03 | 896,385 | 1,037 | 1.38 | 43,001 | 41,632 | 4.80 | 4.65 | 16,205 |
| 2018-04 | 897,626 | 1,241 | 1.34 | 40,566 | 39,999 | 4.53 | 4.46 | 15,434 |
| 2018-05 | 894,658 | -2,968 | 0.64 | 40,386 | 42,199 | 4.50 | 4.70 | 15,569 |
| 2018-06 | 900,096 | 5,438 | 0.83 | 45,852 | 41,396 | 5.13 | 4.63 | 15,030 |
| 2018-07 | 900,152 | 56 | 1.29 | 39,932 | 39,659 | 4.44 | 4.41 | 12,203 |
| 2018-08 | 897,639 | -2,513 | 0.77 | 42,154 | 46,139 | 4.68 | 5.13 | 16,671 |
| 2018-09 | 898,691 | 1,052 | 0.61 | 42,606 | 42,712 | 4.75 | 4.76 | 14,901 |
| 2018-10 | 899,546 | 855 | 0.86 | 43,129 | 42,416 | 4.80 | 4.72 | 15,249 |
| 2018-11 | 899,296 | -250 | 0.73 | 59,088 · Use with caution | 52,514 | 6.57 · Use with caution | 5.84 | 30,484 · Use with caution |
| 2018-12 | 899,564 | 268 | 0.79 | 41,770 | 42,910 | 4.64 | 4.77 | 15,432 |
| 2019-01 | 899,133 | -431 | 0.66 | 42,696 | 42,623 | 4.75 | 4.74 | 15,179 |
| 2019-02 | 900,562 | 1,429 | 0.58 | 42,627 | 42,235 | 4.74 | 4.70 | 14,911 |
| 2019-03 | 903,380 | 2,818 | 0.78 | 43,068 | 40,436 | 4.78 | 4.49 | 15,090 |
| 2019-04 | 904,602 | 1,222 | 0.78 | 42,087 | 42,020 | 4.66 | 4.65 | 14,480 |
| 2019-05 | 906,063 | 1,461 | 1.27 | 44,191 | 43,148 | 4.89 | 4.77 | 15,683 |
| 2019-06 | 906,961 | 898 | 0.76 | 44,705 | 43,251 | 4.93 | 4.77 | 16,648 |
| 2019-07 | 908,005 | 1,044 | 0.87 | 43,331 | 41,466 | 4.78 | 4.57 | 15,019 |
| 2019-08 | 909,172 | 1,167 | 1.28 | 40,717 | 40,187 | 4.48 | 4.43 | 14,138 |
| 2019-09 | 907,822 | -1,350 | 1.02 | 41,085 | 42,615 | 4.52 | 4.69 | 15,753 |
| 2019-10 | 906,892 | -930 | 0.82 | 40,566 | 41,589 | 4.47 | 4.58 | 14,076 |
| 2019-11 | 905,238 | -1,654 | 0.66 | 41,761 | 40,207 | 4.60 | 4.43 | 15,263 |
| 2019-12 | 906,932 | 1,694 | 0.82 | 41,791 | 40,511 | 4.62 | 4.48 | 15,393 |
| 2020-01 | 904,346 · Use with caution | -2,586 · Use with caution | 0.58 · Use with caution | 41,590 · Use with caution | 41,542 · Use with caution | 4.59 · Use with caution | 4.58 · Use with caution | 15,264 · Use with caution |
| 2020-02 | 903,195 | -1,151 · Use with caution | 0.29 | 36,649 | 38,806 | 4.05 · Use with caution | 4.29 · Use with caution | 12,326 · Use with caution |
| 2020-03 | 873,784 | -29,411 | -3.28 | 34,692 | 57,059 | 3.84 | 6.32 | 10,530 |
| 2020-04 | 816,298 | -57,486 | -9.76 | 37,275 | 110,304 | 4.27 | 12.62 | 11,709 |
| 2020-05 | 793,165 | -23,133 | -12.46 | 47,939 · Use with caution | 77,807 | 5.87 · Use with caution | 9.53 | 8,223 |
| 2020-06 | 799,906 · Use with caution | 6,741 · Use with caution | -11.80 · Use with caution | 61,795 | 56,987 · Use with caution | 7.79 | 7.18 · Use with caution | 11,061 |
| 2020-07 | 821,262 | 21,356 · Use with caution | -9.55 | 64,188 | 35,832 | 8.02 · Use with caution | 4.48 · Use with caution | 13,246 |
| 2020-08 | 836,967 | 15,705 | -7.94 | 50,107 · Use with caution | 29,744 | 6.10 · Use with caution | 3.62 | 11,805 |
| 2020-09 | 852,654 | 15,687 | -6.08 | 49,333 | 33,268 | 5.89 | 3.97 | 14,562 · Use with caution |
| 2020-10 | 862,501 | 9,847 | -4.89 | 49,235 | 35,518 | 5.77 | 4.17 | 16,692 |
| 2020-11 | 863,966 | 1,465 | -4.56 | 47,055 | 41,564 | 5.46 | 4.82 | 21,416 |
| 2020-12 | 878,538 · Use with caution | 14,572 · Use with caution | -3.13 · Use with caution | 47,329 | 36,758 | 5.48 | 4.25 | 16,143 |
| 2021-01 | 883,010 | 4,472 · Use with caution | -2.36 · Use with caution | 44,563 | 39,422 | 5.07 · Use with caution | 4.49 · Use with caution | 16,679 |
| 2021-02 | 887,750 | 4,740 | -1.71 | 44,592 | 40,543 | 5.05 | 4.59 | 16,132 |
| 2021-03 | 893,305 | 5,555 | 2.23 | 44,778 | 39,225 | 5.04 | 4.42 | 16,812 |
| 2021-04 | 892,885 | -420 | 9.38 | 41,775 | 41,499 | 4.68 | 4.65 | 17,492 |
| 2021-05 | 893,565 | 680 | 12.66 | 38,646 | 39,106 | 4.33 | 4.38 | 13,700 |
| 2021-06 | 893,151 | -414 | 11.66 · Use with caution | 43,044 | 41,160 | 4.82 | 4.61 | 16,506 |
| 2021-07 | 901,562 | 8,411 | 9.78 | 46,009 | 36,155 | 5.15 | 4.05 | 15,221 |
| 2021-08 | 903,641 | 2,079 | 7.97 | 41,327 | 40,108 | 4.58 | 4.45 | 15,477 |
| 2021-09 | 905,253 | 1,612 | 6.17 | 41,961 | 41,682 | 4.64 | 4.61 | 15,554 |
| 2021-10 | 909,234 | 3,981 | 5.42 | 43,451 | 39,556 | 4.80 | 4.37 | 16,145 |
| 2021-11 | 911,894 | 2,660 | 5.55 | 44,058 | 40,866 | 4.85 | 4.49 | 16,196 |
| 2021-12 | 913,858 | 1,964 | 4.02 · Use with caution | 42,880 | 42,721 | 4.70 | 4.68 | 16,117 |
| 2022-01 | 918,588 | 4,730 | 4.03 | 43,823 | 40,505 | 4.80 | 4.43 | 16,372 |
| 2022-02 | 919,950 | 1,362 | 3.63 | 46,176 | 45,162 | 5.03 | 4.92 | 18,115 |
| 2022-03 | 922,551 | 2,601 | 3.27 | 45,202 | 42,737 | 4.91 | 4.65 | 17,689 |
| 2022-04 | 925,517 | 2,966 | 3.65 | 44,103 | 39,051 | 4.78 | 4.23 | 16,254 |
| 2022-05 | 926,249 | 732 | 3.66 | 42,503 | 43,065 | 4.59 | 4.65 | 15,608 |
| 2022-06 | 926,833 | 584 | 3.77 | 42,834 | 40,215 | 4.62 | 4.34 | 15,784 |
| 2022-07 | 927,742 | 909 | 2.90 | 44,537 | 43,455 | 4.81 | 4.69 | 17,454 |
| 2022-08 | 928,101 | 359 | 2.71 | 43,871 | 43,796 | 4.73 | 4.72 | 17,057 |
| 2022-09 | 928,848 | 747 | 2.61 | 42,778 | 42,845 | 4.61 | 4.62 | 15,580 |
| 2022-10 | 928,575 | -273 | 2.13 | 43,202 | 43,924 | 4.65 | 4.73 | 17,031 |
| 2022-11 | 928,187 | -388 | 1.79 | 42,721 | 42,978 | 4.60 | 4.63 | 16,441 |
| 2022-12 | 930,363 | 2,176 | 1.81 | 43,033 | 40,710 | 4.64 | 4.39 | 15,845 |
| 2023-01 | 935,128 | 4,765 | 1.80 | 43,802 | 41,053 | 4.71 | 4.41 | 16,670 |
| 2023-02 | 934,869 | -259 | 1.62 | 42,599 | 43,403 | 4.56 | 4.64 | 16,207 |
| 2023-03 | 929,764 | -5,105 | 0.78 | 39,783 | 44,069 | 4.26 | 4.71 | 15,694 |
| 2023-04 | 928,406 | -1,358 | 0.31 | 44,810 | 44,694 | 4.82 | 4.81 | 16,313 |
| 2023-05 | 933,072 | 4,666 | 0.74 | 47,123 | 42,791 | 5.08 | 4.61 | 17,282 |
| 2023-06 | 935,019 | 1,947 | 0.88 | 45,506 | 43,224 | 4.88 | 4.63 | 16,929 |
| 2023-07 | 934,056 | -963 | 0.68 | 40,662 | 41,857 | 4.35 | 4.48 | 14,011 |
| 2023-08 | 935,241 | 1,185 | 0.77 | 44,528 | 43,127 | 4.77 | 4.62 | 16,445 |
| 2023-09 | 933,914 | -1,327 | 0.55 | 44,059 | 46,176 | 4.71 | 4.94 | 16,948 |
| 2023-10 | 935,002 | 1,088 | 0.69 | 44,024 | 43,109 | 4.71 | 4.62 | 15,906 |
| 2023-11 | 936,392 | 1,390 | 0.88 | 42,759 | 41,395 | 4.57 | 4.43 | 15,355 |
| 2023-12 | 936,139 | -253 | 0.62 | 44,384 | 43,378 | 4.74 | 4.63 | 16,846 |
| 2024-01 | 939,023 | 2,884 | 0.42 | 45,211 | 43,331 | 4.83 | 4.63 | 16,385 |
| 2024-02 | 939,471 | 448 | 0.49 | 44,306 | 43,924 | 4.72 | 4.68 | 16,224 |
| 2024-03 | 939,631 | 160 | 1.06 | 43,565 | 43,225 | 4.64 | 4.60 | 15,580 |
| 2024-04 | 938,640 | -991 | 1.10 | 44,537 | 44,386 | 4.74 | 4.72 | 16,511 |
| 2024-05 | 939,269 | 629 | 0.66 | 45,034 | 44,432 | 4.80 | 4.73 | 16,477 |
| 2024-06 | 936,953 | -2,316 | 0.21 | 44,142 | 46,100 | 4.70 | 4.91 | 15,730 |
| 2024-07 | 937,892 | 939 | 0.41 | 43,989 | 41,834 | 4.69 | 4.46 | 13,211 |
| 2024-08 | 936,971 | -921 | 0.18 | 44,816 | 45,943 | 4.78 | 4.90 | 17,042 |
| 2024-09 | 937,169 | 198 | 0.35 | 46,067 | 46,286 | 4.92 | 4.94 | 15,007 |
| 2024-10 | 937,636 | 467 | 0.28 | 45,538 | 45,613 | 4.86 | 4.87 | 15,073 |
| 2024-11 | 936,396 | -1,240 | 0.00 | 46,329 | 47,363 | 4.94 | 5.05 | 15,768 |
| 2024-12 | 938,261 | 1,865 | 0.23 | 48,917 | 47,420 | 5.22 | 5.06 | 17,404 |
| 2025-01 | 938,258 | -3 | -0.08 | 44,507 | 44,965 | 4.74 | 4.79 | 15,089 |
| 2025-02 | 938,326 | 68 | -0.12 | 44,029 | 44,163 | 4.69 | 4.71 | 14,199 |
| 2025-03 | 938,170 | -156 | -0.16 | 44,419 | 44,481 | 4.73 | 4.74 | 14,540 |
| 2025-04 | 937,780 | -390 | -0.09 | 44,574 | 44,155 | 4.75 | 4.71 | 16,694 |
| 2025-05 | 937,850 | 70 | -0.15 | 45,087 | 45,224 | 4.81 | 4.82 | 14,955 |
| 2025-06 | 938,630 | 780 | 0.18 | 44,690 | 43,856 | 4.77 | 4.68 | 14,879 |
| 2025-07 | 938,561 | -69 | 0.07 | 48,009 | 46,514 | 5.11 | 4.96 | 16,639 |
| 2025-08 | 938,539 | -22 | 0.17 | 44,423 | 45,056 | 4.73 | 4.80 | 13,169 |
| 2025-09 | 939,754 | 1,215 | 0.28 | 45,336 | 43,993 | 4.83 | 4.69 | 15,811 |
| 2025-10 | 937,976 | -1,778 | 0.04 | 42,226 | 46,131 | 4.49 | 4.91 | 15,404 |
| 2025-11 | 938,515 | 539 | 0.23 | 46,404 | 45,661 | 4.95 | 4.87 | 14,661 |
| 2025-12 | 937,801 | -714 | -0.05 | 46,205 | 45,807 | 4.92 | 4.88 | 15,218 |
| 2026-01 | 936,326 | -1,475 | -0.21 | 46,303 | 47,075 | 4.94 | 5.02 | 14,846 |
| 2026-02 | 936,065 | -261 | -0.24 | 46,899 | 46,829 | 5.01 | 5.00 | 15,254 |
| 2026-03 | 935,719 | -346 | -0.26 | 47,491 | 47,578 | 5.07 | 5.08 | 16,911 |
| 2026-04 | 937,066 | 1,347 | -0.08 | 47,371 | 45,566 | 5.06 | 4.87 | 15,142 |
| 2026-05 | 936,959 | -107 | -0.10 | 46,122 | 46,858 | 4.92 | 5.00 | 14,645 |
Source: Statistics Canada — Experimental estimates for business openings and closures. Experimental monthly estimates, January 2015–May 2026. Business sector industries, Canada. Active means at least one employee; businesses without employees are outside this population.
Where institutions disagree
No registered institutional conflict is a direct member of this Big Question — zero is shown, not hidden.
What cannot yet be known
Evidence gap
Is Canada renewing its business base?
What is missing: The released aggregates do not connect the same firms through employer entry or exit, borrowing, credit applications and formal insolvency. Their populations, periods and seasonal treatment differ; current permanent exits are unavailable.
Consequence: Read employer activity, financial conditions and distress together while keeping their populations distinct. A useful assessment needs both the national trajectory and the geography, industry, size and reporting-lag detail behind it.
What would close it: Compatible, privacy-preserving released cohort tables with stable definitions, comparable employment and credit populations, known reporting lags and the uncertainty needed to assess relationships.
What would change the record
- Compatible, privacy-preserving released cohort tables with stable definitions, comparable employment and credit populations, known reporting lags and the uncertainty needed to assess relationships.
- Statistics Canada publishes employer dynamics through May 2026 — 2026-08-28.
This Big Question organizes the evidence: the commitments, the disagreements, the projections, and the gaps — and it states plainly where the evidence cannot yet reach. When Countability has a current answer, it appears separately on this page with its date, basis, limits, Brief and Receipt. The question stays open; the evidence keeps moving.
Related on this site
- Is Canada rebuilding the capital behind each worker? →
- Can Canada absorb its own population growth? →
This page holds the current public record for this question. For a more specific question, see Work with Countability.
Work with Countability