Establishments with employees

In 2010, the Wood Buffalo Region had 1,616 establishments with employees, making up 1.1% of all establishments with employees in Alberta.  Of these establishments 1,497 or 92.6% were small companies with between 1 and 49 employees. This region had the lowest small business share of any Alberta region as well as the lowest share of micro businesses with fewer than five employees (45.8%).  The Wood Buffalo Region has the largest share of large companies with more than 50 employees (7.4%) compared to an Alberta average of 4.4%.

Number of Establishments by Employee Size in 2010: Wood Buffalo Region and Alberta

Between 2005 and 2010, there was an increase of 9.6% (or 141 companies) in the total number of businesses in the Wood Buffalo Region and a 12.9% rise (or 171 companies) in the number of small businesses.  This region has the highest growth rates of all the regions.  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 Wood Buffalo Region, 78% of companies with employees were involved in service industries in 2010.  The total number of companies in service industries rose by 7.8% over the past five years, while the goods industry had a 16.6% increase over the same period. 

Utilities and Construction is the largest industry in the region, making up 17.8% of establishments with employees in the Wood Buffalo Region (the Construction sector accounts for 99% of the 287 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 industries with more than 150 establishments are Retail Trade, Other Services, and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services.

Over the past five years, the Mining and Oil and Gas Extraction industry experienced by far the highest growth in the number of businesses, up 89.5% between 2005 and 2010, as a result of new oil sands extraction companies and related oil sands servicing companies (such as drilling and exploration).  The Transportation and Warehousing, Health Care and Social Assistance, and Utilities and Construction industries also had large increases of more than 20% in the number of establishments over the same period. 

Date Updated:
RDP-2345