As the daughter of small business owners, one thing has been clear to me from a young age: small businesses are the lifeblood of communities across Canada, and when these businesses win, so do our families and communities. After all, 64% of private sector employment and almost half of Canada’s GDP are powered by SMEs in the Canadian economy.
I also know that uncertainty is a constant for entrepreneurs. But this year presents a unique opportunity to better navigate uncertainty with AI in your toolkit. The wide availability of AI-powered tools has leveled the playing field for SMEs. In fact, increasingly we are seeing that with AI-powered tools, SMEs can predict demand with greater accuracy, streamline processes, understand customers, and make better decisions to ultimately grow.
The potential opportunity with AI is significant – the most recent Google Economic Impact Report, released by Public First, shows that generative AI has the potential to boost Canada’s economy by $230 billion and could save the average Canadian worker over 170 hours a year. For a small business owner, that isn’t just efficiency; it’s more profit, revenue and precious time back in your day.
Forward-thinking leaders are using these tools to gain an edge. Roughly 46% of Canadian business leaders report ‘definitely using AI’ at work and sales and marketing is a great place to start – research shows that 71% of businesses using AI in those areas have already reported increased revenue.
My advice for 2026 is simple: start small. You don’t need to overhaul your business overnight. Embrace the concept of “atomic habits”, improving your competency by just 1% each day. Over the course of a year, those small steps compound into significant growth.
AI truly is your competitive advantage. You are not competing with AI; you are competing with other businesses that are using AI.
This year, let’s be learners and experimenters together. Here’s to your success & continued brilliance in 2026!
Natasha Walji
Managing Director – Google Customer Solutions, Google Canada
Natasha Walji is the Managing Director for Google Canada focused on helping SMEs grow & thrive using AI. Previously, she was a McKinsey consultant and software developer. Natasha has served the community for 20+ years focused on disaster relief, poverty alleviation, public health and co-founded an organization for children with disabilities. Natasha is an angel investor and Investment Committee member at Blue Ivy Ventures. She holds a BSc., Computer Science (UVic), MBA (Yale) and MSt. Sustainability Leadership (Cambridge).
