1{2 "key": "statcan_brdef",3 "url": "https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/statistical-programs/document/1105_D16_T9_V1",4 "final_url": "https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/statistical-programs/document/1105_D16_T9_V1",5 "status": 200,6 "content_type": "text/html; charset=UTF-8",7 "fetched": "2026-11-01",8 "bytes": 61400,9 "title": "Definitions and Concepts used in Business Register",10 "date_modified": null,11 "text_sample": " window.imConfigPath = \"https://www.statcan.gc.ca/en/json/\" Definitions and Concepts used in Business Register Skip to main content Skip to footer Language selection WxT Language switcher Français fr / Gouvernement du Canada Search and menus Search and menus WxT Search form Search Statistics Canada Search Topics menu Subjects Data Analysis Reference Reference resources Standards, data sources and methods Reference – Main page Geography Census 2026 Census Census of Population Census of Agriculture Census of Environment Census engagement Census – Main page Surveys and statistical programs Information for survey participants Results and documentation of surveys and statistical programs Using new and existing data for official statistics Surveys and statistical programs – Main page About StatCan Canada.ca Home Reference Standards, data sources and methods Questionnaires Definitions and Concepts used in Business Register Business register coverage Data quality and limitations Key definitions found in Business Register Data Available Data Contact information Business Register coverage The Business Register is a repository of information reflecting the Canadian business population and exists primarily for the purpose of supplying frames for all economic surveys in Statistics Canada. It is designed to provide a means of coordinating the coverage of business surveys and of achieving consistent classification of statistical reporting units. It also serves as a data source for the compilation of business demographic information. The major sources of information for the Business Register are updates from the Statistics Canada survey program and from Canada Revenue Agency’s (CRA) Business Number account files. This CRA administrative data source allows for the creation of a universe of all business entities. Included in the Business Register are all Canadian businesses Note 1 which meet at least one of the three following criteria: Have an employee workforce for which they submit payroll remittances to CRA ; or Have a minimum of $30,000 in annual revenue; or Are incorporated under a federal or provincial act and have filed a federal corporate income tax form within the past three years. The data provided in our products reflects counts of statistical locations by industrial activity (North American Industry Classification System), geography codes, and employment size ranges. Notable changes to the data Starting with the June 2015 reference period our product’s name changed from Canadian Business Patterns to Canadian Business Counts. A number of changes that occurred for the December 2014 reference period resulted in a significant increase in the total number of businesses in Canada. The changes are made in an effort to be more coherent with our definition. The changes are the following: - There are two sets of CANSIM tables replacing the previous set of tables: Locations with employees (CANSIM 552-000x) Locations without employees (CANSIM 553-000x) - There are two general industrial classification categories: Unclassified: new category for businesses which have not received a NAICS code Classified: existing category for businesses which have received a NAICS code The impact of adding the unclassified category is an additional 78,718 locations with employees and 313,107 locations without employees. These counts can be easily identifiable because they are in a separate category. - Businesses without employees correspond to the “indeterminate” employment category from the previous reference periods. The counts of businesses without employees now cover all enterprises which meet one of the following criteria: is incorporated shows a minimum of $30,000 in revenue (non-taxable and/or taxable) This change affects businesses that did not have $30,000 in taxable revenue in previous years but did have at least $30,000 in overall (non-taxable and taxable) revenue. These businesses will now be included and represent approximately 600,000 units. Busine"12}