Black-owned businesses in Canada, 2020

Release date: October 5, 2023 Correction date: November 13, 2024
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Correction notice

Corrections were made to this product on November 13, 2024. The following changes were made in the section on self-employed (sole proprietorship):

The proportion of non-Black-owned businesses was changed from 59.6% to 49.1%, and the proportion of Black-owned businesses was changed from 69.5% to 62.9%.

Infographic: Black-owned businesses in Canada, 2020
Description: Black-owned businesses in Canada, 2020

Distribution of Black-ownedNote 1 businesses, by regionNote 2 Table 1
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 1. The information is grouped by Region (appearing as row headers), Black-owned businesses, calculated using Counts and Percentages units of measure (appearing as column headers).
Region Black-owned businesses
Counts Percentages
Atlantic provinces 2,285 1.6%
Quebec 35,030 24.2%
Ontario 78,110 53.9%
Manitoba 3,265 2.3%
Saskatchewan 1,735 1.2%
Alberta 18,250 12.6%
British Columbia 6,050 4.2%
Territories 255 0.2%
Total 144,980 Note ...: not applicable
... not applicable

In 2020, there were an estimated 144,980 Black-owned businesses in Canada, representing 2.4% of the total number of businesses in the country.Note 3

Black-owned businesses are more likely to be owned by immigrants, younger people, and the self-employed.

Percentage of Black-owned and non-Black-owned businesses, by owner characteristics

Immigrant status Table 2
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 2. The information is grouped by Immigrant status (appearing as row headers), Non-Black-owned businesses and Black-owned businesses (appearing as column headers).
Immigrant status Non-Black-owned businesses Black-owned businesses
Non-immigrants 75.0% 35.5%
Immigrants 25.0% 64.5%
Gender Table 3
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 3. The information is grouped by Gender (appearing as row headers), Non-Black-owned businesses and Black-owned businesses (appearing as column headers).
Gender Non-Black-owned businesses Black-owned businesses
Men+Note 4 63.9% 67.3%
Women+Note 5 36.1% 32.7%
Age of primary owner Table 4
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 4. The information is grouped by Age group (appearing as row headers), Non-Black-owned businesses and Black-owned businesses (appearing as column headers).
Age group Non-Black-owned businessesNote 2 Black-owned businesses
24 years or younger 1.8% 2.9%
25 to 54 years 53.7% 71.9%
55 years or older 44.4% 25.2%

Percentage of Black-owned and non-Black-owned businesses, by business characteristics

Self-employed (sole proprietorship)Table 5
Table summary
This table displays the results of Table 5. The information is grouped by Self-employed (sole proprietorship) (appearing as row headers), Non-Black-owned businesses and Black-owned businesses (appearing as column headers).
  Non-Black-owned businesses Black-owned businesses
Self-employed (sole proprietorship) 49.1% 62.9%

In 2020, close to 1% of federal business innovation and growth support (BIGS) went to Black-owned businesses. This represents approximately $42 million of the total $3.8 billion in federal funding through BIGS.

Black-owned businesses that received federal support through BIGS were more likely to be owned by immigrants (56.7%) than non-Black-owned businesses that received support (22.0%).

Sources: Statistics Canada, Business Linkable File Environment, 2020, Business Innovation and Growth Support, 2020, Census of Population, 2001, 2006, 2016 and 2021, National Household Survey, 2011, Longitudinal Immigration Database, 2020.

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Published by authority of the Minister responsible for Statistics Canada.

© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Industry, 2023

Use of this publication is governed by the Statistics Canada Open Licence Agreement.

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

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