Business conditions in Canada, third quarter of 2025

Release date: August 27, 2025
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Infographic: Business conditions in Canada, third quarter of 2025
Description: Business conditions in Canada, third quarter of 2025

Top obstacles expected by businesses over the next 3 months

Tableau 1 Table summary
The information is grouped by Inflation (appearing as row headers), , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
Inflation 45.2%
Cost of inputs 25.4%
Interest rates and debt-related costs 24.8%
Cost of insurance 24.2%
Recruiting skilled employees 24.2%

Nearly one-third of businesses expect at least one labour-related obstacle over the next 3 months

Tableau 2 Table summary
This table displays the results of Tableau 2 , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
  Percentage of businesses
Recruiting skilled employees 24.2%
Retaining skilled employees 18.4%
Shortage of labour force 14.8%

Over 2 in 3 businesses are optimistic about the next 12 months

Tableau 3 Table summary
This table displays the results of Tableau 3 , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
  Percentage of businesses
Very optimistic 25.2%
Somewhat optimistic 41.5%
Somewhat pessimistic 15.4%
Very pessimistic 4.6%
Don’t know 13.4%

14.5% of businesses plan to use artificial intelligence (AI) over the next 12 months to produce goods or deliver services

Top 5 AI applications these businesses plan to use over the next 12 months

Tableau 4 Table summary
This table displays the results of Tableau 4 , calculated using (appearing as column headers).
  Percentage of businesses
Virtual agents or chatbots 34.8%
Data analytics 32.9%
Text analytics 28.5%
Marketing automation 25.6%
Natural language processing 20.9%

What do businesses plan to do over the next 12 months as a result the tariffs imposed by the United States on Canadian imports?

Percentage of businesses

  • 15.8% Increase domestic sourcing
  • 15.0% Raise prices of goods or services
  • 14.2% Seek alternative suppliers outside the United States
  • 7.8% Delay major investments or expenditures
  • 5.6% Seek alternative customers outside the United States

Source: Statistics Canada, Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, third quarter of 2025.

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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, 2025

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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