Small Businesses Continue to Grow in Saskatchewan's Economy

Released on October 18, 2021

The Government of Saskatchewan is pleased to recognize Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC) Small Business Week^TM taking place from October 17 to October 23, 2021. This week celebrates the important contributions of small businesses to Saskatchewan's economy. Small Business Week^TM was launched over 40 years ago to join together entrepreneurs across the country.

Small businesses are classified as having less than 50 employees. They are a source of quality jobs and account for 99 per cent of the almost 150,000 business enterprises in the province.

"Saskatchewan has a strong history of entrepreneurial spirit and small businesses continue to play a vital role in the province," Trade and Export Development Minister Jeremy Harrison said. "Small businesses are active in virtually every sector of the economy, providing vital jobs, products and services, which often turn into the kind of success that grows an economy, and a province. The Government of Saskatchewan is proud to recognize this week to celebrate the contribution small businesses make to the growth of our province's economy."

Small businesses provide significant benefits to Saskatchewan's economy. In 2020, small businesses employed 30 per cent of Saskatchewan's workers and paid out almost $6.8 billion in wages and salaries, which was 25 per cent of the province's total payroll. Small businesses generated 29 per cent of Saskatchewan's gross domestic product (GDP).

The number of small businesses has grown from 95,066 in 2010 to 146,016 in 2020, a 54 per cent increase. In 2020, there were 124 small businesses for every 1,000 people in Saskatchewan, which is second highest per capita in Canada.

The Government of Saskatchewan continues to invest in initiatives, services and programs that support small businesses in the province. Some of these include:

• The Saskatchewan Technology Start-Up Incentive, which offers a 45 per cent non-refundable tax credit for individual and corporate equity investments in eligible technology start-up businesses;
• The Product2Market: Value Added incentive which helps support small- and medium-sized agri-businesses, from product development through to marketing activities;
• The Canada-Saskatchewan Job Grant, an employer-driven program which helps employers train new or existing workers to meet their specific workforce needs;
• Small Business Corporate Tax Rate of 0 per cent until July 2022 and 1 per cent until July 2023 when it will revert back to 2 per cent. The reduced rate applies to up to $600,000 taxable income per year in Saskatchewan and will be pro-rated for taxation years that include periods with different tax rates. 
• Tax credits for labour-sponsored Venture Capital Corporation Funds that raise up to $70 million annually from Saskatchewan residents and invest the capital in small- and medium-sized Saskatchewan businesses.
• A highly competitive tax structure, which includes tax credits for research and development, as well as for manufacturing and processing equipment expenditures; and
• The proclamation of the Regulatory Modernization and Accountability Act in 2013, to ultimately remove red tape that could be a road block to business, and to remove some of the barriers to growth.  

To learn more about the Saskatchewan Small Business Profile 2021, visit https://publications.saskatchewan.ca:443/api/v1/products/81279/formats/93239/download.

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