The survey indicates that business in the past year has increased for 23 percent of small businesses in Canada's finance and insurance sector and 19 percent of small businesses in the healthcare and social assistance sector. Overall, 27 percent of Canadian small businesses say the downturn in the global economy over the past year has not impacted their business.

Canada's entrepreneurs are looking ahead to the next year with expectations for improvement. One in four entrepreneurs surveyed reported having sold fewer products or services in the past 12 months, but one in three now expect to sell more products or services in the coming year. Thirty-nine percent of entrepreneurs surveyed expect to create a new product, service or technology.