Federal business innovation and growth support to Canadian exporters, 2021

Release date: March 15, 2024
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Infographic: Federal business innovation and growth support to Canadian exporters, 2021
Description: Federal business innovation and growth support to Canadian exporters, 2021

In 2021, 17% of all business innovation and growth support (BIGS) beneficiaries were exporters. In comparison, 1% of all Canadian businesses were exporters. On average, BIGS beneficiary exporters received $274,000 of support from BIGS programs. In comparison, BIGS beneficiaries that did not export received $105,000 of support on average.


Top 5 BIGS programs for exporters, 2021
Table summary
This table displays the results of Top 5 BIGS programs for exporters Total value of BIGS support to exporters (appearing as column headers).
Total value of BIGS support to exporters
Strategic Innovation Fund $386.8 million
Regional Economic Growth through Innovation – Business Scale-up and ProductivityNote 1 $191.6 million
Industrial Research Assistance Program $141.5 million
Mitacs $84.9 million
Collaborative Research and Development Grants $50.0 million

Top 5 countries of export for BIGS exporters
Table summary
This table displays the results of Top 5 countries of export for BIGS exporters Number of BIGS beneficiary exporters and Total value of exports (appearing as column headers).
Number of BIGS beneficiary exporters Total value of exports
United States 5,090 $250.1 billion
China 1,170 $21.3 billion
United Kingdom 1,170 $14.4 billion
Australia 1,000 $1.2 billion
Germany 980 $5.0 billion

BIGS beneficiary exporters were more likely to be in the manufacturing industry
Table summary
This table displays the results of BIGS beneficiary exporters were more likely to be in the manufacturing industry. The information is grouped by Industry (appearing as row headers), Percentage of BIGS beneficiary exporters and Average value of support (appearing as column headers).
Industry Percentage of BIGS beneficiary exporters Average value of support
Manufacturing 51.1% $170,000
Other goods-producing sectors 6.5% $139,000
Professional, technical and scientific services 12.7% $430,000
Other service-producing sectors 29.7% $414,000

Among BIGS exporters…

10.8% were a large business with at least 500 employees (compared with 2.0% of BIGS non-exporters)

6.0% reported at least $500 million in revenue (compared with 0.4% of BIGS non-exporters)

50.8% were an older business (at least 20 years old) (compared with 23.2% of BIGS non-exporters)

14.7% were owned by women (compared with 25.7% of BIGS non-exporters)

Sources: Statistics Canada, Business Innovation and Growth Support, Business Linkable File Environment, 2023.

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Copyright

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, 2024

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

Catalogue no. 11-627-M

Frequency: Occasional

Ottawa

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