Also called SCIAN, industry code
What is a NAICS code?
The number that classifies what industry your business is in, used by government for statistics, programmes and procurement.
What else it is called
- Other names
- SCIAN, industry code
- In French
- code SCIAN
Related entries
Understanding north American Industry Classification System
A hierarchical industry classification, shared across North America, that says what a business does. Statistics Canada maintains the Canadian version and revises it periodically. Your code is attached to your business number and travels with you through government systems.
It matters more than its dullness suggests. Funding programmes restrict eligibility by it, procurement opportunities are advertised against it, industry benchmark data is published by it, and lenders and insurers use it to classify risk. A manufacturer coded as a wholesaler, which happens easily when a company started out distributing, can be invisible to manufacturing programmes and ineligible for supports it should qualify for.
This is distinct from the Harmonized System code, which classifies your product for customs. One describes your company, the other describes the goods crossing a border.
In practice
Check the code the Canada Revenue Agency has against your business number. Companies that changed what they do rarely remember to update it, and nobody tells you when it costs you an opportunity.
Frequently asked
How is this different from a Harmonized System code?
This classifies your business for statistics and programmes. A Harmonized System code classifies a product for customs and duty. You will need both, and they are maintained by different authorities for different purposes.