Research guides: Entrepreneurship: Data and Statistics

Data and Statistics

Please note that all of the proprietary resources listed below are licensed for educational use only and cannot be used for commercial purposes or shared with anyone not affiliated with the University of Toronto. Business listings should not be used to contact companies.

Canadian Data

Open Data Sources - Canada

Canada Business Network - Market research and Statistics
Demographics, economic and industry sector data from the 2011 census, environmental and science and technology data, and international market reports statistics. Provided by the Canadian government.
Statistics Canada Data portal
CANSIM is Statistic's Canada's database of socio-economic time series statistics for Canada. Contains data tables from major Statistics Canada products such as Canadian Business Patterns, General Social Survey, and Survey of Household Spending. For guidance in searching CANSIM, see the Map & Data Library's Map and Data Library’s guide.
City of Toronto Open Data
Contains 200+ datasets (many of them geospatial) on a range of topics related to business, city government & finances, culture, development & infrastructure, transportation, etc.
Ontario Government Open Data Portal
Contains openly available datasets from a range of Ontario ministries. Currently the contents are a bit sparse, but it is growing rapidly as there is now an open government directive in Ontario.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada - Canadian Industry Statistics
The Canadian Industry Statistics (CIS) include data on many economic indicators, by industry.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada - Financial Performance Data
Financial Performance Data allows you to view financial data based on industry averages, to better understand how competing firms operate within their industry.
Key Business Sectors - Invest Toronto
A City of Toronto website with statistics on key business sectors including financial services, clean tech, life sciences, film and television and others. Also includes general employment and labour statistical data provided by the city. The site is designed to promote the city and so is somewhat promotional in nature.

Proprietary Databases - Canada

Business Analyst Online (BAO)
BAO is a web-based data visualization application which can be used to create thematic maps and reports from demographic data including census, health, household spending, and health and lifestyle data, for Canada and the United States. To gain access, you first need to follow these instructions to create an ArcGIS Online account. You then need to contact the Map & Data Library and request access to BAO. You will then be able to log into BAO using your ArcGIS Online account.
CHASS Census Analyzer
This is an excellent tool for extracting demographic data from the census. Contains data from 1961 to the 2011 census years, at detailed levels of geography.
Enhanced Points of Interest (EPOI)
The Enhanced Points of Interest (EPOI) file is a national database of over 1 million Canadian business and recreational points of interest. This is a geospatial data file (shapefile with associated tables) which can be opened and analyzed with GIS software, such as Esri ArcGIS or QGIS.
ODESI
ODESI is a data portal containing Statistics Canada surveys and much more. You can search for specific survey questions and see how Canadians responded. We recommend you consult the guide to searching ODESI for tips to using the portal effectively.
SimplyAnalytics
SimplyAnalytics is a web-based data visualization application which can be used to create thematic maps, tables and reports from Canadian demographic data including census, health, household spending, and health and lifestyle. Requires (free) personal account creation to save your research.

Statista This link opens in a new window
Categorized into 21 market sectors, Statista.com provides direct access to quantitative data on media, business, finance, politics, and a wide variety of other areas of interest or markets.

US & International Data

Open data sources - US

American FactFinder
A one-stop shop for US census of population and economic census data from 2000 to the present.
American Time Use Survey
Measures the amount of time people spend doing various activities, such as paid work, childcare, volunteering, and socializing.
Bureau of Labor - Industries at a Glance
US industry snapshots from the Bureau of Labor.
Data.gov
The US government's open data portal. This site pulls together information about datasets produced by federal, state and local governments.
General Social Survey Data Explorer
Since 1972, the General Social Survey (GSS) has been monitoring societal change and studying the growing complexity of American society.
Pew Research Center
Timely research and statistics including datasets on science, internet and technology, as well as social trends, politics, demographics. See Datasets page.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics: Consumer Expenditure Survey
Data on the “…buying habits of American consumers, including data on their expenditures, income, and consumer unit (families and single consumers) characteristics."
US Census Bureau - Business & Industry
Economic Census, Economic Indicators and other data from the US Census Bureau.

Open data sources - International

Integrated Public Use Microdata Series (IPUMS) International
A project dedicated to collecting and distributing census data from around the world.
UNdata
An entry point for statistics from the entire United Nations group of organizations. Here you can find international statistics on a wide range of topics, including economics & finance, education, technology, health and more.
World Bank Data
Data produced by the World Bank includes a huge number of international indicators, including financial, human development, and climate-related topics. Browse by Country or Indicator to get a sense of the range of data available.

Proprietary databases - US & International

IMF eLibrary Data
Financial and economic time series data for more than 200 countries.
OECD iLibrary Statistics
Statistics for OECD member countries on a range of topics including health, education, international development, trade, and economic indicators.
Passport GMID
Euromonitor's Passport Global Market Information Database (GMID) includes statistics and reports on markets, consumers, and companies for countries around the world.
Roper Centre iPOLL
The Roper Centre is one of the world's leading archives of social science data, specializing in public opinion surveys. Search iPOLL for public opinion research on a range of topics from the 1930s to the present.

Gerstein Science Information Centre

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Entrepreneurship Librarian

Data & Statistics Librarian

Data and Statistics

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Canadian Data

Open Data Sources - Canada

Proprietary Databases - Canada

US & International Data

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