Business Technology Adoption Barriers and Training Concerns in Q1 2026

Survey data from Statistics Canada details businesses that did not adopt new technologies over a three-year period, with training employees cited as the primary barrier. The dataset is segmented by NAICS code, business size, type of business, activity, and majority ownership. It was published by Statistics Canada in the first quarter of 2026.

Use Cases

• Analyze the correlation between business size (employment size) and the primary reason for not adopting new technologies.
• Identify industry-specific (NAICS) patterns in the main concern about training employees as a barrier to technology adoption.
• Model the relationship between type of business or majority ownership and the likelihood of citing training as the primary adoption barrier.
• Segment businesses by business activity to compare technology adoption barriers across different operational sectors.

Strengths

• Data is stratified by multiple key business dimensions including NAICS, employment size, and type of business.
• Published by the national statistical office (Statistics Canada), ensuring authoritative collection methods.
• Focuses on a specific three-year period and a precise quarterly snapshot (Q1 2026).

Limitations

• The exact number of surveyed businesses (row count) is unknown, limiting assessment of statistical power.
• Specific column names and data types are not provided, complicating initial analysis planning.
• Data reflects business sentiment and reported barriers, not objective measures of technology implementation.

Provenance

Source

Statistics Canada | Statistique Canada

Collection Method

Likely collected via a national business survey, though the specific survey instrument is not named.

Time Range

First quarter of 2026, referencing the prior three-year period (approximately 2023-2026).

Freshness

Data is from the first quarter of 2026 and was last updated in February 2026, indicating it is current for its reference period.

Geography

Canada (inferred from the publishing organization and platform).