The Business Researcher Newsletter

July 6, 2006 Volume 9 Number 4

 

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Opening Comments

 

Hello,

Welcome to the Summer issue of the BR Newsletter.

We have been busy over the last few months redesigning our website.  Don't worry all of the same content is still there.  We have just simplified the navigation system so entrepreneurs can find the relevant data they need from all of our research databases: Canadian Industry Profiles (industry benchmarks), Canadian Market Estimates (household spending), Stats Link Canada (polls, survey and reports) and our original Site Summaries (websites with free Canadian data).

Please note that there is now a subject index for each section conveniently located in the top right corner of every page.

We have also added a Research Consultant module to the web site that guides researchers though the available resources.  It is organized by industry sector.  See:
http://www.gdsourcing.com/works/conresearch.htm

As always you can still submit a query at the QueryDesk if you are unsure where to look:
http://www.gdsourcing.com /QueryDesk/QueryDesk.htm

Over the next few months we plan to add more features to help small business researchers find the Canadian data they need.

I hope you find this issue helpful.

John White
GDSourcing - Research & Retrieval

Return to Table of Contents

 

What's New at www.gdsourcing.com   & www.statslinkcanada.com

 

We did not add any new site summaries to the GDSourcing site over the last few weeks.

 

We did however add the following subject headings to the Stats Link Canada subject index.  Click on the links below to see a free preview of the references now available under each heading. Subscribers can click on the full access links.

 

To view all available subject headings see: http://www.gdsourcing.com/statslinkcanada/IndexFree.asp

 

 

 

Return to Table of Contents

 

Statistics Canada releases

 

The following statistics were released by Statistics Canada over the last few months. We have listed those releases we feel are of the most interest to Canadian entrepreneurs.

Now that Statistics Canada is giving away their online publications free of charge, you can access many of the detailed reports right online.  Simple click on the publication link at the bottom of each reference. For more information of the free Stats Can giveaway see the article below.

For a complete list of all Stats Can releases click here: Stats Link Canada 

  

 

AGRICULTURE

 

Poultry and Eggs Statistics
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=23-015-XIE

 

Net farm income
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060526/d060526a.htm

 

Farm Input Price Index 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060602/d060602c.htm

 

Canadian agriculture in 2005: A tough year in review
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060605/d060605b.htm

 

Agriculture value added account 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060621/d060621c.htm

 

Farm business cash flows 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060621/d060621e.htm

 

 

ARTS & CULTURE

 

Arts, entertainment and recreation services
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060508/d060508a.htm

 

Rural employment in the culture sector
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060612/d060612c.htm

 

International trade in culture goods
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060612/d060612b.htm

 

 

BUSINESS & FINANCIAL SERVICES

 

Buying and selling research and development services, 1997 to 2002
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=88F0006XIE2006002

 

Science and Engineering Employment in Canada and the United States

http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11-622-MIE2006011

 

Comparing Science and Engineering Employment in Canadian and US Cities

http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11-622-MIE2006012

 

Annual Survey of Advertising and Related Services
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060502/d060502c.htm

 

Foreign banks in the Canadian market

http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11-621-MIE2006041

 

Screening job applicants
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060524/d060524c.htm

 

 

COMMUNICATIONS

 

Telecommunications statistics
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060509/d060509b.htm

 

 

CONSTRUCTION & REAL ESTATE

   

Review of non-residential construction in 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11-621-MIE2006043

 

Flows and stocks of fixed residential capital
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060613/d060613d.htm

 

 

ECONOMIC INDICATORS

 

Hours worked and labour productivity in the provinces and territories
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060509/d060509a.htm

 

Characteristics of Growth Firms, 2004/2005
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060511/p060511.htm

 

An analysis of consumer prices in 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11-621-MIE2006042

 

Economic importance of transportation
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060519/d060519b.htm

 

Foreign control in the Canadian economy
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060602/d060602a.htm

 

Foreign direct investment
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060524/d060524a.htm

 

Canadian Economic Accounts Quarterly Review
http://www.statcan.ca/english/freepub/13-010-XIE/13-010-XIE2006001.htm

 

How are Canadian regions adjusting to a larger and more integrated North American market?
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11F0027MIE2006039

 

Changing patterns of women in the Canadian labour force 2005

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060615/d060615c.htm

 

Current economic conditions
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060622/d060622b.htm

 

The Canadian Labour Market at a Glance, 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=71-222-XIE

 

 

EDUCATION

  

Educational Outcomes at Age 19 Associated with Reading Ability at Age 15

http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=81-595-MIE2006043

 

Education and earnings 1980 - 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060623/d060623b.htm

 

 

GOVERNMENT

 

Public sector employment
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060529/d060529d.htm

 

Public Sector Statistics: Supplement
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=68-213-SIE

 

 

HEALTH

 

Impact of universal flu immunization in Ontario
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060505/d060505b.htm

 

Estimates of Total Spending on Research and Development in the Health Field in Canada, 1988 to 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060512/d060512c.htm

 

Food consumption
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060601/d060601c.htm

 

Residential care facilities 2002/2003 and 2003/2004
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060602/d060602b.htm

 

Health Indicators
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=82-221-XIE

 

New data on smoking and on diabetes
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060613/d060613a.htm

 

 

 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

 

Informatics professional services price indexes
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060505/d060505e.htm

 

 

JUSTICE & SECURITY

 

Aboriginal people as victims and offenders
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060606/d060606b.htm

 

Neighbourhood characteristics and the distribution of crime on the Island of Montréal
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060608/d060608b.htm

 

 

MANUFACTURING

 

The Impact of Trade on Plant Scale, Production-run Length and Diversification
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11F0027MIE2006038

 

Survey of Innovation

http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060602/d060602d.htm

 

 

MARKET

 

Income of individuals
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060523/d060523c.htm

 

Census family income
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060525/d060525c.htm

 

 

OTHER SERVICES

 

Personal services industry
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060512/d060512b.htm

 

Electronic, commercial and industrial machinery and equipment repair and maintenance services
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060616/d060616a.htm

 

 

PRIMARY & ENERGY

 

Electric Power Capability and Load
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=57-204-XIB

 

Contract drilling and services to the oil and gas extraction industry
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060516/d060516c.htm

 

Non-metallic Mineral Mining and Quarrying, 2004
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=26-226-XIB

 

Metal Ore Mining, 2004
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=26-223-XIB

 

General Review of the Mineral Industries, Mines, Quarries and Sand Pits, 2004
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=26-201-XIB

 

Diamonds: Still shining brightly for Canada's North
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=65-507-MIE2006007

 

 

SOCIAL STATISTICS - NON-PROFIT SECTOR

 

Income and the Outcomes of Children

http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11F0019MIE2006281

 

Caring Canadians, Involved Canadians: Highlights from the Canada Survey of Giving, Volunteering and Participating, 2004 
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=71-542-XIE

 

Why did employment and earnings rise among lone mothers during the 1980s and 1990s?
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11F0019MIE2006282

 

 

 

TRADE

 

International Merchandise Trade Annual Review, 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=65-208-XIE

 

Profile of Canadian importers 2002
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060515/d060515d.htm

 

Foreign affiliate trade statistics
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060605/d060605c.htm

 

Motor vehicle fuel sales
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060608/d060608e.htm

 

 

TRANSPORTATION

 

Couriers and local messengers industry
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060504/d060504c.htm

 

Characteristics of international travellers
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060529/d060529b.htm

 

Taxi and limousine service industry - 2004
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/060607/d060607d.htm

 

An analysis of the transportation industry in 2005
http://www.statcan.ca/bsolc/english/bsolc?catno=11-621-MIE2006044

 

Return to Table of Contents

 

The "Deathing Project"

 

Statistics Canada released their December 2005 business counts in March 2006. Prior to releasing the new data, Statistics Canada undertook a "Deathing Project"  to "clean up" their database. While the process sounds menacing, the aim was simply to eliminate inactive establishments.  The result was that there was a noticeable drop (3.8%) in the number of businesses identified in Canada between December 2004 and December 2005. 

It is important to note that this decline in counts is due to the Deathing Project itself and not to any extraordinary economic factors.  Whether you are consulting business count data from our Canadian Industry Profiles or from another source, make sure you understand the change in the source parameters before you jump to any conclusions about industry strength or closures.

First of all the inactive business establishments have been accumulating over a period of years.  These "dead" businesses did not all cease activity in 2004.  Of course with hindsight, this means that business counts from previous years have be skewed somewhat by these inactive businesses.  Unfortunately there is not a great deal we can do about past comparisons.

By looking at the types of businesses that were deathed however, we can at least gain some insight into the types of businesses where the likelihood of inactivity is highest.  In total 172,374 businesses were removed from the Statistics Canada Business Register.  Of these, 172,235 or 99.92% were from the Indeterminate size grouping (businesses without full-time employees), an additional 0.06% were from the 1-4 employees grouping.  In total 99.98% of the deathed businesses belonged to the smallest of businesses in Canada.

All industry sectors were affected by the Deathing Project but four in particular stand out.  Among indeterminate deaths Finance and Insurance (11.1%), Construction (11.1%), Retail Trade (10.9%), and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (10.6%) account for 43.7% of the total.  Among employer businesses Professional, Scientific and Technical Services (19.4%) and Construction (13.7%) alone account for a third of the businesses removed from the register.

 

Indeterminate Employer Businesses
# % share # % share
TOTAL 172235 100.0% 139 100.0%
11 - Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting 3120 1.8% 4 2.9%
21 - Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction 1338 0.8% 2 1.4%
22 - Utilities 118 0.1% 0 0.0%
23 - Construction 19144 11.1% 19 13.7%
31-33 - Manufacturing 8314 4.8% 5 3.6%
41 - Wholesale Trade 12813 7.4% 6 4.3%
44-45 - Retail Trade 18715 10.9% 11 7.9%
48-49 - Transportation and Warehousing 6663 3.9% 3 2.2%
51 - Information and Cultural Industries 2977 1.7% 0 0.0%
52 - Finance and Insurance 19140 11.1% 9 6.5%
53 - Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 13101 7.6% 10 7.2%
54 - Professional, Scientific and Technical Services 18296 10.6% 27 19.4%
55 - Management of Companies and Enterprises 12328 7.2% 9 6.5%
56 - Administrative and Support, Waste Management and
           Remediation Services
9443 5.5% 9 6.5%
61 - Educational Services 1074 0.6% 0 0.0%
62 - Health Care and Social Assistance 2042 1.2% 2 1.4%
71 - Arts, Entertainment and Recreation 3051 1.8% 1 0.7%
72 - Accommodation and Food Services 10317 6.0% 6 4.3%
81 - Other Services (except Public Administration) 10230 5.9% 16 11.5%

 

 

When the distribution of deathed indeterminate businesses is examined at a 6-digit NAICS level, only ten business have a 2% or higher share with Portfolio Management (7.76%) and Holding Companies (7.16%) accounting for nearly 15% of all indeterminate deaths. 

 

 

Rank

Industry

Indeterminate

# % share
1. 523920 - Portfolio Management 13361 7.76%
2. 551113 - Holding Companies 12327 7.16%
3. 541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services 6174 3.58%
4. 236110 - Residential Building Construction 5804 3.37%
5. 531111 - Lessors of Residential Buildings and Dwellings (except Social Housing Projects) 4484 2.60%
6. 561990 - All Other Support Services 4453 2.59%
7. 541510 - Computer Systems Design and Related Services 4146 2.41%
8. 722210 - Limited-Service Eating Places 3970 2.30%
9. 722110 - Full-Service Restaurants 3839 2.23%
10. 237210 - Land Subdivision 3520 2.04%

 

 

Similar sectors appear on top among employer-businesses with the exception of Civic and Social Organizations. Of course here the numbers overall are quite small with the top industry (Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services) losing only 12 businesses due to the Deathing Project.

 

 

Rank

Industry

Indeterminate

# % share
1. 541611 - Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services 12 8.63%
2. 551113 - Holding Companies 9 6.47%
3. 813410 - Civic and Social Organizations 6 4.32%

 

The order of ranking changes when you consider which business types experience the biggest impact from the Deathing Project, that is industries with the highest percentage variation in business counts.  Clearly the most distorted are those where there is a high number of indeterminate businesses (e.g. Portfolio Management) and/or a low total number of businesses (e.g. Infants' Cut and Sew Clothing Manufacturing).

 

Rank Industry

Indeterminate & Employer Businesses

Business deaths Total Counts with deathing Total Counts without deathing %difference in counts because deathing
1. 523920 - Portfolio Management 13365 24239 37604 35.54%
2. 315291 - Infants' Cut and Sew Clothing Manufacturing 47 105 152 30.92%
3. 212210 - Iron Ore Mining 4 11 15 26.67%
4. 522299 - All Other Non-Depository Credit Intermediation 2714 7475 10189 26.64%
5.