Government Websites
In this section we have gathered some of the most reliable freely available online government and employment websites for you to use in your research.
Canadian Websites
BC Stats | Current reports and statistics from British Columbia's central statistical agency including labour market information, economic statistics and bankruptcies. Start by searching their Industry section and narrowing by industry type or go to the Business, Industry & Trade page to skim all the different business-related topics.
Destination BC | This is the corporate site of Destination BC, a Crown corporation focused on attracting overnight visitors to the province. Take a look at the Research & Insights section for industry performance and regional research. The Adventure & Outdoors page of Hello BC provides great ideas of the types of outdoor recreation and adventures available in British Columbia. While the Outdoor Adventure Tourism Sector Profile is from 2014, it provides a starting point to various types of recreational activities and its popularity.
Government of BC | The official website of the Government of BC the site offers information on a variety of topics related to living, working, and visiting BC.
- Tourism resources page for marketing, research, and funding opportunities
- Ministry of Tourism, Arts, Culture and Sport integrates the tourism sector with the arts, culture and sport sectors to create a more vibrant British Columbia for residents and visitors.
- Strategic Framework for Tourism 2022-2024 acts as the for rebuilding tourism in the province.
- Sports, recreation, arts and culture highlights popular topics such as camping reservations and sports participation. Review the Recreation page for regulations and licenses.
Government of Canada - Business and Industry | The Government of Canada's comprehensive page for business and industry guides you through important information on starting a business. You will find necessary permits and information on tax and regulation, as well as advice on how to protect your intellectual property through copyright or trademark, a primer for selling to the federal government, information on importing and exporting goods, and advice on managing and protecting your business operations.
Statistics Canada Data | Formerly known as CANSIM, Statistics Canada's key socioeconomic database is updated daily. It is free to search the data tables.
- Participation in outdoor activities
- Participation in outdoor activities, by type of household
- Participation in outdoor activities, by household income
- Travel and tourism statistics
- Tourism demand in Canada, current prices
- Supply of tourism commodities, constant prices (x1,000,000)
- Supply of tourism commodities, current prices (x1,000,000)
- Employment generated by tourism (x1,000)
- Tourism demand, implicit price indexes, seasonally adjusted
- Provincial and territorial gross domestic product (GDP) and employment generated by tourism and related measures (x 1,000,000)
- Canadian Tourism Activity Tracker and Grouped Data Sources
- Tourism demand in Canada, constant prices (x 1,000,000)
Canadian Industry Statistics (CIS) - Industry Canada | CIS analyses industry data on many economic indicators using the most recent data from Statistics Canada. CIS looks at industry trends and financial information, such as GDP, Labour Productivity, Manufacturing and Trade data.
- Scenic and sightseeing transportation - 487
- Travel arrangement and reservation services - 5615
- Travel agencies - 56151
- Tour operators - 56152
- Other travel arrangement and reservation services - 56159
- Recreational vehicle (RV) parks and recreational camps - 7212
- Other amusement and recreation industries - 7139
- Other amusement and recreation industries - 71399
Squamish Economic Development | Squamish economic development supports sustainable economic development which considers the economic, social, and environmental well-being of local residents. Take a look at the Outdoor Recreation section of the page as well as the Squamish Outdoor Recreation Profile (pdf).
City of Vancouver’s Open Data Portal
How to access: The guide can be viewed through the link above and is free to use.
The Government of Canada routinely collects vast quantities and kinds of information on a diverse spectrum of topics. Now the City of Vancouver is making this information available to the public in a single concise searchable portal called Open Data 101. This data is accessible to the public and structured in an easy to understand format.
Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada
Provides market research, industry statistics, licensing information for intellectual property, and information about doing business internationally. The Industry Canada site features interactive applications such as customizable trade reports, cost calculators, and online business planning guides. You can also search broad Canadian industry statistics.
- The Canadian Tourism Sector
- COVID-19 in Western Canada: Industry Impact: Arts, Entertainment and Recreation
- SME Profile: Tourism Industries in Canada, 2020
The Daily - Statistics Canada
The premier source for Canadian statistical information, including census information. Search 'The Daily' releases by subject to identify corresponding census tables, latest news, and publications. Similarly, you can browse by data source, including surveys & questionnaires relevant to your market research, which also link to census tables, latest news and publications.
- Canadian Tourism Activity Tracker, December 2022
- Amusement and recreation industry, 2021
- Open Database of Recreational and Sport Facilities
- Government revenue attributable to tourism, 2012 to 2020
WorkBC | Find current employment outlooks, labour market information, relevant links, and a geographic representation of the BC workforce. Start by searching your Industry Profile.
US & International Websites
Small Business Administration: Free Small Business Data
This site is created and managed by the US Small Business Administration (SBA) and provides a list of free sources of information that you can use to obtain data about markets in the US.
U.S. Department of Commerce: Bureau of Economic Analysis
The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis is a source of accurate and objective data about the U.S. economy. It provides statistics on U.S. gross domestic product, foreign trade and investment stats, and industry data.
AgEcon Search: Research in Agricultural and Applied Economics
AgEcon Search collects, indexes, and electronically distributes full text copies of scholarly research in the broadly defined field of agricultural economics including sub disciplines such as agribusiness, food supply, natural resource economics, environmental economics, policy issues, agricultural trade, and economic development.
- Shartaj, M., & Suter, J. F. (2020, December). Exploring the local determinants of campground utilization on National Forest Land. AgEcon Search.
- Béki, P., Lasztovicza, D., & Metzger, J. (2017, April 28). Caves, as touristic attractions in Hungary: Adventure, health, culture, ecotourism. AgEcon Search.
- DE VALCK, J., BROEKX, S., LIEKENS, I., DE NOCKER, L., VAN ORSHOVEN, J., & VRANKEN, L. (2015, August). Contrasting the collective social value of outdoor recreation and the substitutability of nature areas using hot spot mapping. AgEcon Search.
- Lather, A. S., Singh, R., & Singh, K. A. (2012, November 1). Comparing the levels of expectation and satisfaction of Indian and foreign adventure tourists visiting India. AgEcon Search.