{"id":404176,"date":"2026-04-17T23:23:12","date_gmt":"2026-04-17T23:23:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/404176\/"},"modified":"2026-04-17T23:23:12","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T23:23:12","slug":"entrepreneurial-business-boom-brewing-toronto-sun","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/404176\/","title":{"rendered":"Entrepreneurial business boom brewing | Toronto Sun"},"content":{"rendered":"

Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/p>\n

Technology<\/a>Tech Essentials<\/a><\/p>\n

Despite economic uncertainty, survey results reveal Canadian entrepreneurship aspirations hit a new high<\/p>\n

Published Apr 11, 2026 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 6\u00a0days ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 5 minute read<\/p>\n

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\"AccordingAccording to the annual RBC Small Business Poll, eight in 10 Canadians believe small business ownership is a viable way to earn a living today. Photo by SuppliedArticle content<\/p>\n

While much of Canada awaits the spring thaw, entrepreneurs are looking to break ground on new ventures.<\/p>\n

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Fifty-nine per cent of Canadians aspire to start their own business \u2013 the highest level in eight years \u2013 according to the annual RBC Small Business Poll<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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This optimism may run contrary to doom-and-gloom headlines about trade tensions, inflation, a weakened dollar, and one of the highest unemployment rates among G7 countries.<\/p>\n

Ontario bests the national average at a whopping 68% of adult respondents (age 18+) with small business aspirations, followed by Atlantic provinces at 62%, and with Alberta, Manitoba and Saskatchewan tied at 60%. While not a low number, 45% of Quebecers, by comparison, are looking to own a business.<\/p>\n

Overall, eight in 10 Canadians believe small business ownership is a viable way to earn a living today, according to the survey.<\/p>\n

Commissioned by RBC and conducted online by Ipsos Canada, the recent poll also revealed those who already own a business are optimistic about growth \u2013 despite economic headwinds. In fact, six in ten (61%) have adjusted their business strategy in the past year due to market volatility, shifting trends, and the adoption of new technologies, like AI.<\/p>\n

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\"RBC According to the annual RBC Small Business Poll, eight in 10 Canadians believe small business ownership is a viable way to earn a living today. Photo by SuppliedCanadian businesses optimistic, resilient<\/p>\n

\u201cAs we do every year, we wanted to better understand the mindset of Canadians when it comes to entrepreneurship,\u201d Karen Svendsen, RBC senior director of Small Business and Partnerships, said in an interview with Postmedia. \u201cEvery year we explore how people are feeling about starting or growing a business in the current environment \u2013 what\u2019s motivating them, what challenges they\u2019re facing, what changes year over year, and where they may need support.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEntrepreneurial spirit in this country remains strong,\u201d Svendsen summarized. \u201cMany Canadians see business ownership as an opportunity to pursue their passions, build financial independence, and create something of their own.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked to explain the optimism despite economic uncertainty \u2013 that is, wouldn\u2019t Canadians prefer a steadier 9-to-5 job rather than take risks in today\u2019s shaky financial environment? \u2013 Svendsen said there\u2019s often an \u201cinverse relationship\u201d between entrepreneurship and hard times.<\/p>\n

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\u201cSometimes it\u2019s through necessity, people no longer have that salaried employment, or they look around and say, \u2018Maybe there isn\u2019t a certainty, and so maybe now\u2019s the time to pursue my dream and get a little bit of control over my financial future,\u201d\u2019 she said.<\/p>\n

Svendsen said the survey results paint a picture of cautious optimism and strong resiliency.<\/p>\n

\"AmberMac\" Amber Mac is an entrepreneur and tech expert. Photo by Supplied<\/p>\n

Seasoned entrepreneur and tech expert Amber Mac said she\u2019s \u201cnot surprised\u201d that more Canadians are keen to start their own businesses today, despite a negative economic outlook.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think what we\u2019ve learned over the past few years is that being your own boss is one of the best ways to have real freedom to choose how to spend your time.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAlso, thanks to new tech such as AI, it\u2019s easier than ever to start, run and scale a business,\u201d added Mac, who is based in Toronto.<\/p>\n

Likely spurred by rhetoric south of the border, Mac also said a surge in patriotism should also be embraced by entrepreneurs.<\/p>\n

\u201cCanadians are hungry for local products and services \u2026 it\u2019s an incredibly exciting time to grow a small business here in Canada,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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\"Tom <\/p>\n

SALTZMAN: Pocket-sized gaming offers big time fun<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Tech can help<\/p>\n

Perhaps it\u2019s no surprise, 20% of business owners cite investing in digital transformation as a top priority over the next three years, according to the RBC Small Business Poll.<\/p>\n

And nearly a quarter (23%) say digital and\/or AI tools are or will be helpful in managing through challenging times.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn my own small business, AI tools such as Claude<\/a> are also invaluable as we create scripts for our podcast and stories for our newsletter,\u201d Mac said. \u201cOur team continues to do more high-level sales and strategy work, but AI tools have absolutely helped with repetitive, time-consuming tasks, such as editing short vertical video clips for social media.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIn this case, we use OpusClip<\/a>, which can produce a dozen short vertical video clips in the same time it takes me to pour a cup of coffee,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

The explosion in generative AI platforms can help bootstrapped entrepreneurs do more with less.<\/p>\n

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But what about when these organizations become much bigger players?<\/p>\n

\"Quadbridge Quadbridge CEO Steve Leslie. Photo by SuppliedLarger companies need an AI boost<\/p>\n

Medium-sized businesses, however, are not adopting AI fast enough to remain productive and competitive, argues Steve Leslie, CEO of Quadbridge<\/a>, a Montreal-based organization that focuses on helping mid-market customers adopt IT effectively \u2013 including tools like artificial intelligence.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur latest whitepaper, The State of AI Adoption in Mid-Market<\/a>, found just 10% of respondents believe they are implementing AI at scale, while the vast majority, at 90%, fall into the \u2018experimentation\u2019 category,\u201d Leslie said in a phone interview just ahead of the company\u2019s QBITS conference, an annual IT leadership development gathering in Montreal.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Canadian midmarket space is moving slower than the enterprise space,\u201d and ostensibly, compared to small businesses, evidenced by RBC\u2019s data, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe slow pace of midmarket\u2019s AI adoption in Canada is a function of our market being mostly smaller businesses, and with narrow enterprise scale, when compared to the U.S.,\u201d Leslie added. \u201cRisks and complexity are top of mind, requiring executive sponsorship to advance adoption. This is where Quadbridge comes in \u2013 to embed secure, governed, and organization-wide AI into daily workflows.\u201d<\/p>\n

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On how to thread the needle, Leslie said Quadbridge first assesses an organization\u2019s strategy and willingness to implement AI, as well as explore what outcomes they\u2019re looking to gain by these emerging technologies.<\/p>\n

\u201cOur goal is to empower organizations, providing employees with tools they need to become even more productive, and showing executives, boards and investors the return on investment they can expect through adopting smart technology as a tool,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cCanadian businesses of all sizes are poised for tremendous growth,\u201d Leslie concluded, \u201cand they shouldn\u2019t be afraid to move from AI experimentation to strategic implementation, but with discipline and clarity, and scaling when the conditions are optimal.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2013\u00a0Marc Saltzman is the host of the\u00a0Tech It Out<\/a>\u00a0podcast and is the author of the book, Apple Watch\u00a0For\u00a0Dummies (Wiley)<\/p>\n

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