A majority of young Canadians are considering entrepreneurship, but limited funding and difficulty finding support could prevent many from turning that interest into a business.
A new Nanos Research survey commissioned by Shift Canada found that 65 per cent of Canadians between 18 and 34 plan to become an entrepreneur or are open to doing so.
Early exposure appears to play a significant role. Among young entrepreneurs who grew up around a family business, 57 per cent said the experience made them more comfortable taking entrepreneurial risks.
Young entrepreneurs were also nearly twice as likely to have had a parent or guardian who was an entrepreneur than to have received little or no exposure to entrepreneurship through their family.
Programs can help close that experience gap, according to the research. While 82 per cent of participants said entrepreneurship programs helped them start their business, only 30 per cent of young entrepreneurs had used one.
Finding that help remains a challenge. Forty-two per cent of program participants said it was difficult to locate the support they needed, while 56 per cent learned about programs through social media. Nearly two-thirds of respondents identified a lack of startup capital as the biggest barrier to launching a business.
Artificial intelligence is adding another layer of uncertainty. Thirty-eight per cent said AI has made starting a business feel riskier, compared with 11 per cent who believe it has reduced the risk.
Shift Canada is trying to build entrepreneurial confidence earlier through Shift Failure, a five-lesson program for students in grades 5 through 12. The program reached more than 330,000 students in 2026 and is being piloted with Western University, Huron University College, Fanshawe College, York University and Toronto Metropolitan University.
“Exposure to examples of risk-taking and perseverance matters,” said Shift Canada CEO AJ Tibando. “We built Shift Failure so that young people can build the confidence to pursue entrepreneurship.”