Canada recorded 9,095 new business registrations in October 2025, down 36% month-over-month and 60% below the same month last year. Meanwhile, 29,694 businesses closed, a 12% decrease from September’s 33,544 but still nearly five times higher than new formations. The result: a net loss of 20,599 active businesses for the month.
📊 By the Numbers
- New business starts: 9,095 (↓36% MoM, ↓60% YoY)
- Business closures: 29,694 (↓12% MoM, ↑358% YoY)
- Net change: –20,599
⚖️ Interpreting the Shift
- Formation fatigue: After September’s rebound, new registrations retreated sharply, suggesting that optimism among entrepreneurs remains muted amid persistent inflation and borrowing constraints.
- Closures still high: Though down from August’s extreme levels, closure volumes remain far above pre-2025 norms — a sign of stress among small and micro businesses.
- Widening gap: The growing divergence between openings and closures continues to weigh on Canada’s net business population, with cumulative losses exceeding 160,000 since spring.
💼 Why This Matters
Business start-ups and closures are real-time indicators of economic health. For marketers, lenders, and B2B service providers, this data reveals where opportunity and risk are shifting — and when to act.
With Cleanlist’s ResponseCanada™ Start-ups and Business Closure Data, you can:
- Identify and target brand-new businesses the moment they’re registered
- Track business attrition to manage portfolio risk
- Analyze market trends by province, sector, and month
🔍Want to Reach Canada’s Newest Businesses?
Ask about a free data discovery report where we produce a personalized data report, filtered and targeted to just the businesses that matter most to you.
