BUY BC BUSINESSES Business Buyer's Guide Nicola ǀ Thompson ǀ Okanagan ǀ Boundary Regions Fall 2014 | Page 17

SMALL BUSINESS PROFILE
Entrepreneurs and small business are critical to the economic health and prosperity of our
communities. From creating and maintaining jobs that support families, to producing goods
and services, small business is the engine driving British Columbia’s economy.

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

•

Small business accounts for 98% of all business in British Columbia
Of the 385,900 small businesses operating in the province in 2012, 82%
had fewer than five employees
In 2012, 26% of BC’s Gross Domestic Product was generated by small
business, compared to the national average of 25 percent
BC ranks first in the country for the number of small businesses per
capita, with 83.5 per 1,000 people
55% of private sector jobs in 2012 were provided by small businesses;
second highest in Canada
Small business employed over a million people in the province in 2012
Between 2011 and 2012, small business employment in BC grew by 0.4
percent, slightly faster than the national rate of 0.2 percent
In 2012, small business provided 31 percent of all wages paid to workers
in BC, the highest share of all provinces
The accommodation and food services industry was the largest provider
of new small business jobs in BC between 2007 and 2012. Employment
in this industry climbed 5.2 percent, creating approximately 4,600 new
jobs over the five year period

For a complete Small Business Profile and other information relating to small business,
please visit:
www.bcstats.gov.bc.ca ǀ http://www.gov.bc.ca/jtst/ www.resourcecentre.gov.bc.ca

ON THE COVER - OKANAGAN SIMILKAMEEN

The South Okanagan is located in south-central British Columbia starting at the US
Border with Penticton being the largest centre. There are approximately 80,000 people
included in this region which sits in the only desert area of Canada. The attractive
climate fosters popular tourist activities including summer water sports, golf and
attractions and wine tasting. The South Okanagan is an ideal setting for growing
Okanagan wine grapes and producing among the best rated wines in the world! Of
course, its mild weather year-round, also makes the South Okanagan a great
place to live and do business.