Analysis and Research
BDC research on issues impacting small and medium-sized businesses in Canada
BDC Studies
- BDC State of Entrepreneurship Report 2025. Study (October 2025)
- Measuring BDC’s Impact on Clients During the Pandemic. Study (October 2025)
- Consolidate to increase efficiency Survey highlights (August 2025)
- Diversify to protect your business Survey highlights (August 2025)
- Canadian Entrepreneurs on Productivity: Insights and Success Stories. Study (August 2025)
- SME Investment and Financing Outlook Survey highlights (July 2025)
- Canadian Small Business Health Index Index (June 2025)
- Canada's Venture Capital Landscape 2025 Report (May 2025)
- SME Investment and Financing Outlook Survey Report (April 2025)
- Interprovincial trade barriers: survey highlights Report (March 2025)
- SME perceptions of the impact of tariffs: survey highlights Report (March 2025)
- Small Businesses, Big Impact: Why SMEs are Key to Canada’s Ambitions for Reliable, Affordable and Clean Electricity. Report (March 2025)
- Outlook for Canada’s Creative and Cultural Industries for 2025 Report (February 2025)
- SME Investment and Financing Outlook Survey Report (January 2025)
- Business owners' adaptation to change Report (November 2024)
- Business owners' workload Report (November 2024)
- Optimizing Workplace Culture for Peak Performance Report (November 2024)
- Fires, Floods and Heatwaves. Are Canada’s Small Businesses Ready? Study (November 2024)
- BDC Capital 2024 DEI and ESG Portfolio Metrics Study (November 2024)
- Canadian Small Business Health Index Index (October 2024)
- SME Investment and Financing Outlook Survey? Report (October 2024)
- Canadian Food and Beverage Sector: 2024 Outlook Study (October 2024)
- 4 Key Trends Shaping The Future of Canada’s Businesses Study (October 2024)
- The AI Imperative for Canada’s Entrepreneurs Study (September 2024)
- SME Investment and Financing Outlook Survey Report (July 2024)
- Survey on SME owners' mental health and support Report (May 2024)
- Canada's Productivity Puzzle: Solutions for Entrepreneurs Study (May 2024)
- Canada’s Venture Capital Landscape 2024 Report (May 2024)
- The Benefits of Energy-Efficient Renovations in Commercial Buildings Study (May 2024)
- Investment and Financing Outlook Survey Report (April 2024)
- The State of Corporate Venture Capital in Canada Report (April 2024)
- Business Acquisition Opportunities in the Canadian M&A Market Study (February 2024)
- Investment and Financing Outlook Survey Report (January 2024)
- Entrepreneurs and Financial Literacy: The Situation in Canada Report (January 2024)
- The Benefits for SMEs of Taking Climate Actions. Study (December 2023)
- Survey on the financial health of SMEs Report (December 2023)
- Investment and Financing Outlook Survey. Report (October 2023)
- The Challenge of the Decade: How to Navigate Canada's Labour Shortages. Study (October 2023)
- Entrepreneurship in Motion: Skills to Succeed in a Changing World. Study (October 2023)
- Top Consumer Trends in Canada. Study (August 2023)
- Investment and Financing Outlook Survey. Report (July 2023)
- How to Cope with Inflation and Remain Profitable. Study (June 2023)
- Canada’s Venture Capital Landscape. Report (May 2023)
- Survey on SME owners' mental health and support. Report (May 2023)
- Survey on business growth potential and ambition. Report (March 2023)
- ESG in Your Business: The Edge you Need to Land Large Contracts. Study (March 2023)
- Canadian Entrepreneurs’ Needs and Challenges Report (December 2022)
- SME current challenges Report (November 2022)
- Survey on SME owners' mental health Report (November 2022)
- Inflation and its impact on Canadian SMEs Report (September 2022)
- SME workforce and its current challenges Report (September 2022)
- Inflation, Labour Shortages and Supply Challenges Study (October 2022)
- Canadian Food and Beverage Industry: 2022 Outlook Study (September 2022)
- Growth Compass Survey Report (June 2022)
- Measuring BDC’s Impact on Clients (2014–2018) Study (June 2022)
- Canada’s Venture Capital Landscape Report (May 2022)
- Seize the Technological Advantage Study (May 2022)
- Canadian Entrepreneur Mental Health and Well-Being Report (April 2022)
- Tech Industry Outlook: What’s Next for the Technology Sector in Canada. Study (January 2022)
- Impact of the supply chain challenges on Canadian entrepreneurs. Study (January 2022)
- How SMEs are ending 2021 and their priorities for the year to come Report (December 2021)
- Investment Intentions of Canadian Entrepreneurs: An Outlook for 2022. Study (December 2021)
- Business Acquisitions: A Strategy That Drives Growth. Study (November 2021)
- SME Financing Outlook Survey (Wave X) Report (October 2021)
- Current situation: How are SMEs doing and what do they plan to do in the coming months? Report (September 2021)
- How to Adapt to the Labour Shortage Situation: Hiring Difficulties Are Not Going Away Study (September 2021)
- SME Financing Outlook Survey (Wave IX) Report (June 2021)
- The Benefits of Inclusive Leadership. Report (June 2021)
- What's Next for Remote Work? Views of Canadian Businesses and Employees Study (June 2021)
- Canadian Entrepreneur Mental Health and Well-Being Report Study (May 2021)
- Health of SMEs during COVID: How are they doing and how do they see the future? survey (Feb-Mar 2021)
- Telework: What do SMEs think and plan to do about it? survey (Feb-Mar 2021)
- Telework: Impacts on the decisions of Canadian employees survey (March 2021)
- SME Financing Outlook Survey (Wave VIII) Report (March 2021)
- A Transformation in Progress: How Canadian Entrepreneurs Are Taking on the Environmental Challenge Study (April 2021)
- Food and Beverage Industry: 2021 Outlook Study (February 2021)
- Investment Intentions of Canadian Entrepreneurs: An Outlook for 2021 Study (January 2021)
- Technology industry outlook study (January 2021)
- SME Financing Outlook Survey, December 3 to 15 survey (December 2020 Wave VII)
- SME survey on Technology adoption, Online services and data sharing, December 1 to 11 survey (December 2020)
- Manufacturing sector outlook study (December 2020)
- Profit From E-commerce: How to Compete in the Online Marketplace study (November 2020)
- Residential construction industry outlook study (November 2020)
- The Response: How Entrepreneurs Are Adapting to the Pandemic study (October 2020)
- Survey to take the pulse of Canadian SMEs Tracking survey (September 2020)
- Executive Compensation at VC-Backed Tech Firms study (September 2020)
- Tracking survey on the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses, July 7 to 12 Tracking survey (July 2020)
- Tracking survey on the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses, June 2 to 7 Tracking survey (June 2020)
- Performance of Traditional Securitization Transactions in Canada During and After the 2007-08 Financial Crisis, Study (May 2020)
- Tracking survey on the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses, May 11 to 13 Tracking survey (May 2020)
- Tracking survey on the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses, April 27-29 Tracking survey (April 2020)
- Tracking survey on the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian businesses, April 14-16 Tracking survey (April 2020)
- Survey on the impact of COVID-19 on Canadian SMEs Tracking survey (April 2020)
- Investment Intentions of Canadian Entrepreneurs: An Outlook for 2021. Study (January 2020)
- The Changing Face of Canadian Entrepreneurship. Study (October 2019)
- Entrepreneurs’ mental health concerns can be on the job with them, impacting their work Highlights (July 2019)
- Expand Online: Strategies to Boost Sales, Profits and Exports Study (July 2019)
- Measuring BDC's Impact on Clients (2008—2015) Study (April 2019)
- Buying a Business: A Winning Strategy for Purchasing Another Company in Canada Study (April 2019)
- Investment Intentions of Canadian Entrepreneurs: An Outlook for 2019 Study (January 2019)
- Digitize Now: How to Make the Digital Shift in Your Business Study (October 2018)
- Labour Shortage: Here to Stay. Study (September 2018)
- Economic optimism and response to Canada-U.S. tariffs: Survey report and Highlights (July 2018)
- Built for performance: Strategies Used by Canada’s Leading SMEs. Study (May 2018)
- Business needs and potential solutions: Survey report and Highlights (May 2018)
- Investment Intentions of Canadian Entrepreneurs: An Outlook for 2018. Study (January 2018)
- Financial literacy among Canadian entrepreneurs and business owners—report (December 2017)
- What do Buyers Look for When Purchasing a Business? Study (November 2017)
- Future-Proof Your Business. Study (October 2017)
- The Coming Wave of Business Transitions in Canada. Study (September 2017)
- Impacts of the new U.S. administration on Canadian SMEs—report (July 2017)
- Canada’s Venture Capital Landscape. Study (June 2017)
- Industry 4.0: The new industrial revolution. Study (May 2017)
- Exporting: A Key Driver of SME Growth and Profits. Study (April 2017)
- Investment Intentions of Canadian Entrepreneurs: An Outlook for 2017. Study (January 2017)
- Measuring BDC’s Impact on Its Clients (2008-2012). Study (December 2016)
- Entrepreneurs’ challenges and needs report and visual summary (November 2016)
- Productivity Matters: Benchmarking Your Company to Up Your Game. Study October 2016)
- Five Game-Changing Consumer Trends. Study (October 2016)
- Canadian SMEs and the sharing economy—detailed report (September 2016)
- Investment Intentions of Canadian Entrepreneurs: An Outlook for 2016. Study (January 2016)
- Innovation (November 2015)
- Diversification and Financial Performance: A Close Connection detailed report (November 2015)
- SMEs and Growth: Challenges and Winning Strategies, detailed report (October 2015)
- SME Challenges: Detailed report (September 2015)
- High-impact firms: Accelerating Canadian competitiveness (May 2015)
- The 5 Do's and 5 Don'ts of Successful Businesses: Detailed report and Infographic presentation (October 2014)
- Cash flow management: Detailed report (April 2014)
- Advisory Boards: An Untapped Resource For Businesses (March 2014)
- Investments: Detailed report (November 2013)
- Mapping your future growth: Five game-changing consumer trends: Detailed report, infographic and survey (October 2013)
- Business to Business Marketing: Detailed report and Infographic presentation (September 2013)
- SMEs at a glance: Detailed report (August 2013)
- Businesses in expansion and manufacturers: Opportunities and needs (June 2013)
- Manufacturers: Access to financing and specific needs (May 2013)
- Technology: Detailed report (April 2013)
- Human resources: Detailed report (February 2013)
- Study on Mid-Sized Firms (February 2013)
- Performance and productivity: Detailed report (December 2012)
- Sixth tracking survey on the level of optimism and business growth (“Bill of health”) (October 2012)
- BDC index of new entrepreneurial activity (October 2012)
- Innovation mindset and structure (June 2012)
- Marketing, sales and client experience (April 2012)
- Professional referral process (April 2012)
- Human resources (March 2012)
- Operations and Workflow (January 2012)
- Finance and Treasury (December 2011)
- Management and leadership (September 2011)
- Canadian entrepreneurs and innovation (June 2011)
Other economic studies
- Measuring BDC’s impact on its clients (July 2013) A report published by Statistics Canada
- BDC and the Economic Action Plan (May 2012)
- Key Small Business Stats (June 2011) Prepared by Industry Canada
- Canada’s Support for Research & Development (February 2011) This paper outlines suggestions to improve the return on investment (ROI)
- Survey conducted among Angus Reid’s Forum Panel (October 2010) Prepared for the 2010 Small Business Week
- Canadian Entrepreneurship Status 2010 (September 2010) Prepared by the Fondation de l’entrepreneurship, this report outlines the dynamic state of entrepreneurship throughout the country
- Going international? Insights from SMEs (Spring 2009)
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