Establishments with employees

In 2010, the West Yellowhead Region had 4,936 or 3.4% of all establishments in Alberta.  Of these establishments 4,811 or 97.5% were small companies with between 1 and 49 employees. Micro-businesses with fewer than five employees have a 62.4% share of the region’s total number of companies and large companies with 50 or more employees have a 2.5% share, compared to the 4.4% Alberta average.

Number of Establishments by Employee Size in 2010: West Yellowhead Region and Alberta

Between 2005 and 2010, there was a decline of 1.4% (or 72 companies) in the total number of businesses in the West Yellowhead Region and a 0.7% drop (or 32 companies) in the number of small businesses.  By comparison, at the provincial level, the total number of businesses increased by 2.3% and small companies experienced an increase of 3.4% over the same period.

In the West Yellowhead Region, 66% of companies with employees were involved in service industries in 2010.  The total number of companies in service industries declined by 3.3% over the past five years, while the goods industry had a 2.3% increase over the same period. 

Utilities and Construction is the largest industry in the region, making up 14.4% of establishments with employees in the West Yellowhead Region (the Construction sector accounts for 97% of all companies in this sector).  By comparison, 13.8% of establishments with employees are engaged in the Utilities and Construction industry at the provincial level.  Other large industries are Mining, Oil and Gas Extraction, Other Services (such as repair and maintenance companies) and Retail Trade.

Over the past five years, the Mining, Oil and Gas Extraction industry experienced the highest growth in the number of businesses, up 22.4% between 2005 and 2010.  The Utilities and Construction industry had an increase of 13.5% in the number of establishments over the same period.  Agriculture and Forestry registered the largest decline: down 28.4% between 2005 and 2010.  Unlike other regions of Alberta, more than half of all companies in the Agriculture and Forestry industry are Forestry businesses.  Information, Culture, Recreation and Arts, Manufacturing, Transportation and Warehousing, and Professional, Scientific and Technical Services all registered declines of more than 10% over the same period. 

Date Updated:
RDP-2344