This indicator measures the number of businesses with active establishments, by year and Regional District. Data for this indicator were gathered from BC Stats’ Business Counts reports. This data set has been subject to methodological changes that preclude a thorough examination of historic trends. Monitoring changes in the number of businesses operating in the region gives an indication of the overall business climate. If conditions are favourable, we may expect to see net increases in the number of businesses from year to year. This indicator gives a sense of whether the business climate is supporting the development of an expanding or contracting economy.