How large is Canada's printing industry according to CPIA/ACI?

According to CPIA/ACI, Canada has 6,000+ printing and related businesses and 50,000+ people employed in print and related industries. Both figures are sourced from Canadian Industry Statistics 2016, and the association notes that the sector is supported by 8 graphic arts post-secondary programs across Canada (source: Canadian Printing Industries Scholarship Trust Fund). These are the headline scale numbers the association presents on its site; they are a 2016 snapshot, not a live count.

The numbers at a glance

What these figures tell you

Industry scale

The 6,000+ business count covers printing and related businesses, so it is broader than commercial printers alone. For anyone assessing the sector's size — a supplier sizing the market, a student weighing career options, or a business looking for peers — this is the association's own framing of the industry's footprint.

Workforce size

The 50,000+ employment figure describes people working in print and related industries. Read together with the business count, it indicates a sector made up largely of small and mid-sized operations rather than a few very large employers.

Talent pipeline

The 8 graphic arts programs are the formal post-secondary channel feeding the industry. CPIA/ACI ties this to the Canadian Printing Industries Scholarship Trust Fund, which signals that the association treats education and recruitment as part of its industry-support role.

How to use these numbers responsibly

• Treat them as a baseline, not a current census. The site attributes both the business and employment figures to 2016 statistics. If you need present-day figures, use them as a reference point and check newer industry statistics.
• Match the definition to your question. "Printing and related businesses" and "print and related industries" are broader categories than "printing companies" — useful when you want the full ecosystem, less precise if you need a narrow segment count.
• Pair scale with mission when describing the association. CPIA/ACI states its mission is to strengthen and advance the printing industry across Canada, and its membership comprises regional and print-sector associations representing hundreds of print and print-related businesses. The 6,000+ figure describes the industry; the membership description describes the association's reach — don't conflate the two.

For the most current figures or a breakdown by region or segment, contact CPIA/ACI directly through the contact option on its site.