Surrey's business scene is buzzing ...
Surrey’s business scene is buzzing—and the city’s 24,000‑plus business licences give us a great snapshot of what’s happening on the ground. Newton leads the way by a wide margin, with thousands of businesses calling it home, while places like South Surrey, Cloverdale, and Guildford also show strong activity. One look at the town‑centre chart and the hotspots jump right out.
What really stands out, though, is the sheer variety. With more than 9,000 unique business categories, Surrey’s entrepreneurs are doing just about everything you can imagine. General contractors take the top spot, followed by restaurants, driving schools, janitorial services, and electrical contractors—everyday services that keep the city running. The top‑10 chart makes this super easy to see.
Another interesting trend: Surrey is almost perfectly split between home‑based businesses and traditional commercial ones. It’s a great reminder of how much local entrepreneurship now starts at kitchen tables, spare rooms, and garages.
And when you map the business locations, you can literally see the clusters—dense in places like Newton and Whalley, lighter as you move outward. It’s a simple visual, but it tells a clear story about where economic activity naturally gravitates.
Altogether, the numbers and charts reveal a dynamic, diverse, and increasingly flexible business community—one that reflects how Surrey is growing and how its residents are shaping the city’s economic future.
Spatial Business Distribution
Top 10 Business Categories