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The following statistics have been compiled by Alberta Finance and Enterprise. They will give you a quick overview of the number of firms established in Alberta, and some details on the economic trends that affect small businesses.

Alberta

• Alberta’s small business sector is a vital component of the province’s economy. In 2008, the sector was responsible for 31% of Alberta’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the chief indicator of economic productivity. The national average for small business contribution to GDP was 29%. (Source: Industry Canada, Key Small Business Statistics, July 2010)
• Small businesses (businesses that employ less than 10 employees) account for about 77.0% (121,022) of all businesses with employees in Alberta. (Source: Industry Canada, Key Small Business Statistics, July 2010)
• Small businesses (businesses that employ less than 50 employees) account for 95.7 (150,413) of all businesses with employees in Alberta. (Source: Industry Canada, Key Small Business Statistics, July 2010)
• From 2000 to 2009, the number of small businesses (businesses that employ less than 50 employees) in Alberta increased by 16.8%. (Source: Alberta Finance and Enterprise, 2010 Alberta Business Monitor)
• As at December 2009, 14.2% of small businesses (less than 10 employees) in Canada were located in Alberta. In 2009, Alberta’s share of Canada’s population was 10.9%. (Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Patterns; Census 2006)
• As at December 2009, 13.7% of small businesses (less than 50 employees) in Canada were located in Alberta. In 2009, Alberta’s share of Canada’s population was 10.9%. (Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Business Patterns; Census 2006)
• In Canada, a little over 2.7 million people were self-employed in 2009 (16.0% of employed Canadians). About eighteen percent (351,700) of all Alberta workers were self-employed. Alberta ranked third of all provinces in terms of the number of self-employed as a percent of total employment. (Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Historical Review 2009)
• From 2005 to 2009 the number of self-employed Albertans rose from 337,700 to 351,700. In 2009 self-employed workers represented 17.7% of employed Albertans. (Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Historical Review 2009)  
• The percentage of firms in Alberta with 1 to 10 employees ranges from 32.9% to 90.7% across all industries. For example, 90.7% of agricultural businesses have less than 10 employees while only 32.9% of businesses in public administration do. (Source: Alberta Finance and Enterprise, 2008 Alberta Business Monitor)
• There were 35,143 new business incorporations in Alberta in 2009, down from 43,515 in 2008. (Source: Alberta Finance and Enterprise, Monthly Economic Review, January 2010)
• There were 405 Business Bankruptcies in Alberta in 2008, a decrease of 42 from the previous year (447). (Source: Alberta Finance and Enterprise, Monthly Economic Review, March 2010)
• In 2008, women accounted for 34.5% of all self-employed individuals in Alberta; this was slightly lower than the national average of 35.5%. (Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Historical Review 2009)
  

  Edmonton

• In 2009, business bankruptcies in Edmonton increased 12.2% from the previous year. (Source: Industry Canada, Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy)
• Between 2005 and 2009, the number of people that were self-employed in Edmonton increased by 65.4%, from 40,905 to 676,55 (Source: Alberta Finance and Enterprise, 2010 Alberta Business Monitor) 
• In 2007, there were approximately 56,625 self-employed workers in Edmonton, representing 9% of Edmonton’s employed workforce. (Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey 2007)

Calgary

• In 2009, business bankruptcies in Calgary decreased 12.6% from the previous year. (Source: Industry Canada, Office of the Superintendent of Bankruptcy)
• 35% of all self-employed workers in Calgary are women (2006). (Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey 2006) 
• Between 2004 and 2008, the number of people that were self-employed in Calgary increased by 52.4%, from 113,415 to 150,625 (Source: Alberta Finance and Enterprise, 2010 Alberta Business Monitor)
• In 2009, there were approximately 115,500 self-employed workers in Calgary, representing 15.4% of Calgary’s employed workforce. (Source: Calgary Economic Development)

Rest of Alberta

• In 2007, there were approximately 81,882 self-employed workers in Rest of Alberta, representing 13.6% of individuals employed in the Rest of Alberta. (Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey 2007, Alberta Employment and Immigration)
• Between 2005 and 2009, the number of people that were self-employed in Rest of Alberta increased by 69.5%. (Source: Alberta Finance and Enterprise, 2010 Alberta Business Monitor)
• In 2006, 34.2% of all self-employed workers in Rest of Alberta were women. (Source: Statistics Canada, Labour Force Survey 2006)