Markets, Industry & Trade

Industry Profiles

An industry profile provides information on the market, key players, value, competitors, forecasts, etc., about an industry. The profile is useful to determine opportunities, challenges, and trends in the industry as you develop your business plan.

The following resources contain industry profiles:

Business Source Premier
Business research database. Covers all areas of business, accounting, economics, finance, management, information systems and marketing. Includes company profiles, SWOT analyses, industry and market research reports.
Statista

Contains more than 1,000,000 statistics covering 170 different industries and includes market and consumer data, forecasts and outlooks.

Business Source Premier
Business research database. Covers all areas of business, accounting, economics, finance, management, information systems and marketing. Includes company profiles, SWOT analyses, industry and market research reports.

Business Source Premier

To find industry profiles in Business Source Premier, type the name of the industry into the search box, for example: sports beverages, tourism, etc.
The results list page appears
Click the "Source Types" menu
From the drop-down menu, choose "Industry Profiles"
Click the "Apply" button

Steps to find industry profiles: 1. To find industry profiles in Business Source Premier, type the name of the industry into the search box, for example, sport beverages, tourism, etc. The results list page appears. 2. Click the “Source Types” menu 3. From the drop-down menu, choose “Industry Profiles” 4. Click the “Apply” button

Note: In some cases, you may not see the "Industry Profiles" option in the dropdown menu. In these cases, the database either does not contain profiles on the industry or the content is filed under a different name. Try different search terms; for example, instead of "vacuums", try "household appliances".

Statista

Contains more than 1,000,000 statistics covering 170 different industries and includes market and consumer data, forecasts and outlooks.

Statista

To find industry profiles, type the name of the industry into the search box
You may also select "Statistics" from the top navigation bar and then "All Industries" to browse by industry

select “Statistics” from the top navigation bar and then “Industries” to browse by industry

You may also select "Reports" from the top navigation bar and then "Industry & Market Reports" to browse for reports

You may also select “Reports” from the top navigation bar and then “Industry & Market Reports” to browse for reports

Canadian Industry Statistics
Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Data from Statistics Canada organized by industry.

Browse for an industry or browse by NAICS code
Number of establishments, employees, wages, and in some cases, financial performance data is provided

Financial Performance Data
From the Government of Canada, view financial data based on industry averages to see how small Canadian businesses measure up to competitors across 30 benchmarks.

Create a report on a Canadian industry to view revenues, expenses, and balance sheet data

Directory of Businesses in Hamilton
A list of active businesses in Hamilton organized by category.
Hamilton Industries
Source: Invest in Hamilton
An overview of the various active sectors in Hamilton.
Hamilton Red Book
Red Book Community Information by Hamilton Public Library provides trusted, up-to-date information about social services and community resources for residents of Hamilton
Open Data Hamilton: Business and Economy
A variety of data points about business and economic indicators in Hamilton.
Women-Led Businesses Directory (Hamilton)
A directory of women-led businesses in Hamilton.

Statista

Contains more than 1,000,000 statistics covering 170 different industries and includes market and consumer data, forecasts and outlooks.
Business Source Premier
Business research database. Covers all areas of business, accounting, economics, finance, management, information systems and marketing. Includes company profiles, SWOT analyses, industry and market research reports.

Business Dynamics
Source: Statistics Canada
Data on Canadian business counts, revenues, and employees.
Canada's International Trade and Investment Country Fact Sheet
Source: Statistics Canada
Choose a country from the drop-down and see data on trading activity with Canada.
Canadian Export Classification (HS Codes)
"The Canadian Export Classification is a structured, hierarchical classification system based on the Harmonized Description and Coding System. The HS nomenclature is divided into 21 Sections, which in general, group goods produced in the same sector of the economy."
Canadian Importers Database
Source: Government of Canada
Use this database to find names of importers and dollar value of their imported products and services.
Canadian Industry Statistics
Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Data from Statistics Canada organized by industry.
Canadian International Merchandise Trade Web Application
Portal to export and import trade data from Statistics Canada.
Canadian Trade Commissioner Service – Country and Sector Information
Choose a country from the list under “Latin American and the Caribbean” to find information about considerations when exporting to that country.
Industry Canada - Trade Data Online
Choose an industry or product and country to see the current trade environment.
Industry Sector Intelligence
Source: Government of Canada
Data on various industrial sectors.
International Trade and Investment
Includes data on tariffs, trade data, etc. 
International Trade Centre – Trade Map
Enter a product to see current export performance, demand, markets. Could provide some ideas for industries/products to pursue.
International Trade Explorer
Source: Statistics Canada
Identify Canada's trade partners and amount of trade in dollars.
International Trade Monthly Interactive Dashboard
Source: Statistics Canada
Identify volume of trade and trade partners with Canada.
NAICS 2022 (Statistics Canada)
Access the NAICS classification system.

International Trade Statistics
Source: Statistics Canada
Canadian International Merchandise Trade Web Application
Portal to export and import trade data from Statistics Canada.
Canadian Trade Commissioner Service – Country and Sector Information
Choose a country from the list under “Latin American and the Caribbean” to find information about considerations when exporting to that country.
Export Development Canada - Country Info
Export Development Canada (EDC) is Canada's export credit agency. Country profiles are developed by staff working with exporters and knowledgeable about the country conditions. Country pages include many links to other useful information.
Global Insights
Source: Michigan State University
International business and trade data by country, industry and economic classification.
International Trade Key Indicators
Data and reports on exports and imports to Canada from Statistics Canada.
Library of Parliament Trade Data
Select "Canada with selected countries", choose "All" for trading year and enter the country of interest to see trade data.
North American Industry Classification System (US Census)
The US version of the NAICS.
Trade Data Online
Source: Government of Canada

Canada's Reciprocal Tariffs with U.S.
Source: Government of Canada
Canada-U.S. Trade War
Source: Canadian Federation of Independent Business
Canada Tariff Finder
Source: Government of Canada, Business Development Canada and Export Development Canada
Rules of Origin Facilitator
Source: International Trade Center. Get tariffs, rates and trade agreements by searching by importer, exporter and product.
World Trade Organization Tariff Data
Member tariff rates and import statistics.

Country Reports & PESTLE Analysis

A Country Report provides information about a country such as geography, political situation, economics, demographics, history, and future trends. This information is useful when you are considering importing to or exporting from a country and/or establishing business in a region.

PESTLE stands for:

Political
Economic
Social
Technological
Legal
Environmental

PESTLE is a type of analysis that allows you to identify factors that influence business risk in a country. It allows you to determine the risks and opportunities that might affect your business in particular countries and helps you to make strategic decisions.

A Country Report can provide cultural information that can help you as you navigate the business climate in a region. More importantly, the country report can provide economic and financial analysis to aid in decision-making.

The PESTLE Analysis provides you with insights you can use to prepare your business plan and to help you decide if and how to conduct business in a region. For example, PESTLE examines:

Political factors such as government policies and regulations or political structures, and stability in a country
Economic factors such as currency exchange rates, market conditions, and economic stability
Social factors such as cultural norms, demographic shifts, and consumer preferences
Technological factors such as levels of technological development and innovation, communication networks available, and research and development expenditures
Legal factors such as employment laws, environmental regulations, VAT rates, and industry regulations
Environmental factors such as environmental offsets and carbon taxes, fuel taxes, renewable energy adoption, geographical location, weather, and climate change impacts

Three databases provide information you can use to conduct a search for a country profile and/or PESTLE analysis:

Business Source Premier
Business research database. Covers all areas of business, accounting, economics, finance, management, information systems and marketing. Includes company profiles, SWOT analyses, industry and market research reports.
Statista

Contains more than 1,000,000 statistics covering 170 different industries and includes market and consumer data, forecasts and outlooks.
CultureGrams World Edition
Easy-to-read reports that describe the diversity and history of each U.S. state. Content includes maps, flags and symbols, as well as sections on geography, population, and Indigenous peoples.

Business Source Premier
Business research database. Covers all areas of business, accounting, economics, finance, management, information systems and marketing. Includes company profiles, SWOT analyses, industry and market research reports.

Business Source Premier

Business Source Premier includes PESTLE analyses in some of their Country Reports.

To find a Country Report, type the name of a country and the words "country report" in the search bar and click the "Search" button

screenshot of a country report search in business source premier

The results will contain country profiles and reports, any of which will provide information you can use to develop a PESTLE analysis

TIP: "MarketLine Country Profiles" contain PESTLE analyses already completed

Look for "MarketLine Country Profile" in the results list
Click "Access options" and choose "Online full text"

Screenshot of a MarketLine Country Profile

On the right side of the screen, look for the "Table of Contents". Within the Table of Contents, click "PESTLE Analysis" to view the analysis

Statista

Contains more than 1,000,000 statistics covering 170 different industries and includes market and consumer data, forecasts and outlooks.

Statista

The database Statista also has information about countries that you can use to develop your own PESTLE analysis. There are two ways to search for this information:

Type the name of a country in the search box
Look for "Statistics & Facts" or "Economy & Society" for example
Use the information provided to create your PESTLE analysis

Screenshot of a country search results in Statista

Another way to find country reports is to choose "Reports" from the navigation menu and then choose "Country & Region Reports"
On the screen that appears, type the name of a country into the search box to view a variety of reports on that country

Screenshot of Country Reports in Statista

CultureGrams World Edition
Easy-to-read reports that describe the diversity and history of each U.S. state. Content includes maps, flags and symbols, as well as sections on geography, population, and Indigenous peoples.

CultureGrams World Edition

The database CultureGrams World Edition includes Country Profiles.

Type the name of a country in the search box
Click on a result
Information on the people, customs, society, economy, etc. is available, which you can use to create your PESTLE analysis

PESTLE

CultureGrams World Edition
Easy-to-read reports that describe the diversity and history of each U.S. state. Content includes maps, flags and symbols, as well as sections on geography, population, and Indigenous peoples.

BBC News Country Profiles
Profiles provide info about history, politics and economic background of countries and territories, and background on key institutions. Some audio and video clips also included.
Statista Country Reports
Background information on various countries in addition to financial and economic data and tables.
United Nations Demographic and Social Statistics
A range of global data on topics such as population, housing, gender, etc.
The World Factbook
From The CIA, The World Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 266 world entities. Good data on major trading partners and products.

Country Reports from ITA (USA)
From the US International Trade Administration, trade facts on various countries.
Euromonitor International
Reports on various industries and regions.
Global Insights
Source: Michigan State University
International business and trade data by country, industry and economic classification.
International Trade Centre – Trade Map
Enter a product to see current export performance, demand, markets. Could provide some ideas for industries/products to pursue.
International Trade Explorer
Source: Statistics Canada
Identify Canada's trade partners and amount of trade in dollars.
OECD Reports
Select a country to view various reports on that country.

2021 Census Data
Explore Census information in table format or interactively with Data Visualizations.

CultureGrams World Edition
Easy-to-read reports that describe the diversity and history of each U.S. state. Content includes maps, flags and symbols, as well as sections on geography, population, and Indigenous peoples.

Human Development Index
The HDI was created to emphasize that people and their capabilities should be the ultimate criteria for assessing the development of a country, not economic growth alone.
United Nations Demographic and Social Statistics
A range of global data on topics such as population, housing, gender, etc.
OECD Better Life Index
This Index allows you to compare well-being across countries, based on 11 topics the OECD has identified as essential, in the areas of material living conditions and quality of life.

McKinsey Technology & Trends Outlook 2025
From McKinsey consultants, an outlook for the global technology landscape.
Network Readiness Index Ranking
Network Readiness Index 2024 - benchmarking the Future of the Network Economy.
Tech News World
Insider news on technology.
Technology Readiness Levels
From the Government of Canada, a list of the technology readiness levels applicable across many industries.

Canadian Legal Information Institute (CanLii)
Legal research database. Provides access to judgments from all Canadian courts, including the Supreme Court of Canada as well as consolidated statutes and regulations of every Canadian jurisdiction.
Quicklaw (Lexis Advance)
Legal research database. Contains a vast array of legal information in English and French covering every jurisdiction in Canada, and many foreign jurisdictions. Includes court and tribunal cases, legislation, and international cases.

Canadian Trade Commissioner Service – Country and Sector Information
Choose a country from the list under “Latin American and the Caribbean” to find information about considerations when exporting to that country.
OECD Environment-at-a-glance Indicators
From OECD, various indicators relating to environmental trends such as climate, water, etc.
World Trade Organization Environmental Database
Choose a country to view environmental performance indicators.

NAICS stands for North American Industrial Classification. It is a system to classify industries. It can be used to search for your industry in government and library sources. It is divided into:

2-digit code: industry sector
3-digit codes: subsectors
4-digit codes: industry groups
5-digit codes: industries
6-digit codes: Canadian industries

There are 2 versions:

Example:

31-33 is the 2-digit code for Manufacturing

3242 is the 4-digit code for Petroleum and coal product manufacturing

32411 is the 5-digit code for Petroleum refineries

324110 is the 6-digit code for Petroleum refineries

Here are just a few examples of where you might enter NAICS codes to retrieve industry information.

Business Source Premier: Enter the NAICS code to see industry reports.

Canadian Industry Statistics: Enter NAICS code to see Government of Canada statistics.

Statistics Canada Business Counts: Enter the NAICS code to view number of businesses in that industry for a certain time period.

Financial Performance of Industries - Benchmarking: Enter the NAICS code to see the financial performance of an industry in Canada.

Trade Data Online: See imports/exports in Canada by industry.

Statista: Enter the NAICS code to see reports on that industry.