Get to know Niagara
Looking for at-a-glance information to get to know Niagara? This collection of Regional Quick Facts is a perfect place to start. Begin with a quick scroll through key data highlights and then link through to more detailed reports for additional background.
Location
Location and Distance to Markets
| Metropolitan Area | Distance | Population |
| Toronto | 100 km | 5.9 million |
| Detroit | 350 km | 4.3 million |
| Columbus | 565 km | 2.1 million |
| New York | 650 km | 20 million |
| Philadelphia | 650 km | 6.1 million |
| Boston | 775 km | 4.6 million |
| Chicago | 830 km | 9.5 million |
Transportation Infrastructure
4 major highways
5 international border crossings into US
2 commercial vehicle border crossings
1 million truck crossings each year
3 international airports within 100km
Welland Canal and nearby access to Ontario's largest port
Business
Niagara Business Counts
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
| Businesses with Employees | 12,962 | 13,039 | 13,326 |
| Businesses without Employees | 24,612 | 27,174 | 27,347 |
| Total Businesses | 39,591 | 42,231 | 42,692 |
Business Size Range
| Employees | Companies | % of total |
| 1-4 | 6,600 | 49.5 |
| 5-9 | 2,880 | 21.6 |
| 10-20 | 1,830 | 13.7 |
| 20-49 | 1,274 | 9.6 |
| 50-99 | 465 | 3.5 |
| 100-199 | 179 | 1.3 |
| 200-499 | 74 | 0.6 |
| 500+ | 24 | 0.2 |
Employment
Total Jobs
| 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
| 213,863 | 217,523 | 220,385 |
Top 45 Largest Employers (Full and Part Time)
| District School Board of Niagara | 6,160 |
| Brock University | 5,965 |
| Niagara Health System | 4,914 |
| Niagara Region | 3,644 |
| Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort | 3,630 |
| Niagara College | 2,658 |
| Niagara Catholic District School Board | 2,011 |
| Four Points by Sheraton Niagara Falls Fallsview | 2,000 |
| Hilton Hotels and Suites | 2,000 |
| Outlet Collection at Niagara | 1,500 |
| General Motors of Canada | 1,445 |
| Canadian Tire Financial Services | 1,284 |
| Lais Hotel Properties Limited (Vintage Hotels) | 1,184 |
| City of St. Catharines | 975 |
| City of Niagara Falls | 837 |
| Canada Border Service Agency | 773 |
| Great Wolf Lodge | 716 |
| Sitel | 641 |
| Rankin Construction Inc. | 580 |
| White Oaks Resort | 523 |
| Concentrix | 460 |
| Casino Niagara | 456 |
| Care Partners | 455 |
| Stanpac Inc. | 450 |
| Family and Childrens Services Niagara | 450 |
| Shaw Festival Theatre | 445 |
| Royal LePage Real Estate | 415 |
| Andrew Peller Ltd. | 397 |
| Meridian Credit Union (Corporate Office) | 348 |
| Fort Erie Live Racing Consortium | 340 |
| Costco | 315 |
| BVGlazing Systems | 304 |
| Cabico | 291 |
| Welded Tube of Canada Corp. | 284 |
| Livingston International Inc. | 280 |
| PVS Contractors | 280 |
| Rich Products of Canada Ltd. | 270 |
| Cantec Security Services | 245 |
| Airbus Helicopters Ltd. | 235 |
| St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation | 225 |
| Tabor Manor | 220 |
| Henry Schein Canada | 219 |
| Walker Industries Inc. | 218 |
| Convergys Limited | 200 |
| OneTouch Direct | 176 |
Top 5 Sectors by Employment
| Accommodation and food services | 28,605 |
| Retail trade | 27,502 |
| Health care and social assistance | 27,266 |
| Manufacturing | 16,552 |
| Construction | 15,215 |
Top 5 Sectors by Employment Growth (2012-2019)
| Accommodation and food services | 5,682 |
| Health care and social assistance | 5,027 |
| Professional, scientific, technical service | 3,058 |
| Educational services | 1,746 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,628 |
Top 5 Sectors by Employment Growth Rate
| Professional, scientific, technical service | 39% |
| Accommodation and food services | 25% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 23% |
| Health care and social assistance | 23% |
| Educational services | 13% |