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Management Consulting in Canada - Market Research Report (2015-2030)

Alexander Govdysh Alexander Govdysh New York, United States Last Updated: March 2025 NAICS 54161CA

Revenue

$26.2bn

2025

$26.2bn

Past 5-Year Growth

Profit

$X.Xbn

Employees

157k

Businesses

75,976

Wages

$X.Xbn

Management Consulting in Canada industry analysis

Management consultants in Canada continue to drive considerable demand from a wide range of clients, as the vital nature of their services remains a core calling card for a variety of clients. Inflation volatility in recent years, which peaked at 8.1% in 2022 per the Bank of Canada, hampered individual clients’ capability of securing long-term commitments from consultants and encouraged in-house alternatives. Despite this, the economic downturn caused some customers to invest in countercyclical services such as restructuring, cost-cutting and risk management advice. Financial managers and manufacturers were particularly demanding of consulting services, as they sought to navigate a shaky economy and craft quality plans to ensure their investments are protected. Growing adoption of ESG standards incentivized specialized consultant demand, as companies sought advisory services and guidance to ensure ESG adoption met regulatory requirements. Revenue grew an annualized 2.3% to an estimated $26.2 billion over the past five years, including an estimated 1.4% boost in 2025 alone, with profit benefiting from stabilized macroeconomic conditions.

Trends and Insights

  • Revenue will increase slightly during the current period, but the industry will be subject to some volatility. Management consultants in Canada have been negatively impacted by declines in demand for countercyclical services and recessionary fears.
  • Management consultants provide a wide range of services to other businesses to help improve performance. Consultants draw upon high levels of education and experience in relevant industries to advise on best practices and organizational change.
  • Densely populated regions and business-heavy cities generate high consultant demand. Populated provinces, such as Ontario and Quebec, make up the largest share of consultant establishments due to a booming business sector and presence of populated cities such as Toronto.
  • Small providers dominate the industry because of their focus on niche markets. By specializing in specific geographic areas or industries, these small businesses build customer loyalty and fend off competition from larger companies.

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  • Market estimates from 2015-2030
  • Critical performance data and rankings
  • Detailed analysis of competitive forces and the external environment
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Industry Statistics and Trends

Market size and recent performance (2015-2030)

Industry revenue has grown at a CAGR of 2.3 % over the past five years, to reach an estimated $26.2bn in 2025.

Trends and Insights

Macroeconomic growth creates higher fiscal flexibility for core consultant clients

  • Management consultants remain heavily influenced by macroeconomic conditions throughout the Canadian economy. Prominent consulting firms, such as McKinsey & Company, rely heavily on economic stability to ensure core clients, such as financial businesses and manufacturers, can procure consultation on business strategy. Higher corporate profit, which spiked an annualized 6.5% over the past five years, enabled more businesses to afford management consulting services focused on business efficiency improvements, such as supply chain management and strategic consulting. Even amid positive economic conditions, consultant services will remain sought-after as clients look to ensure a well-vetted and thought-out corporate strategy within competitive sectors like manufacturing and finance.
  • Additional trends and insights available with purchase
Management Consulting in Canada
Revenue (2015-2030)
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry outlook (2025-2030)

Market size is projected to grow over the next five years.

Trends and Insights

Steady economic growth will bolster management consultant demand

  • Despite challenges related to high inflation, rising interest rates and recessionary fears, the Canadian economy is expected to generate stable growth in the coming years, providing management consultants with higher demand for strategy-related services across business and individual clients. While strong economic conditions do provide higher flexibility among businesses to secure long-term consultant commitments, they will also play a role in changing the type of services demand by clients. Major consultancy firms such as Accenture Plc will receive greater leverage in providing strategic and financial management consulting services to clients looking to maintain fiscal stability.

Biggest companies in the Management Consulting in Canada

Company
Market Share (%)
2025
Revenue ($m)
2025
Profit ($m)
2025
Profit Margin (%)
2025
Accenture
1,075.5
156.3
14.5
McKinsey & Company
854.8
246.5
28.8

To view the market share and analysis for all 2 top companies in this industry, view purchase options.

Products & Services Segmentation

Management Consulting in Canada
Products & Services
IBISWorld Logo Source: IBISWorld

Industry revenue is measured across several distinct product and services lines, including Strategic management consulting services, Financial management consulting services and Marketing management consulting services. Strategic management consulting services is the largest segment of the Management Consulting in Canada.

Trends and Insights

Strategic management consulting services remain a consistent fixture across different sectors

  • Strategic management consulting services include advice on general growth strategy, leadership development, performance improvement, mergers and acquisitions and corporate portfolio design. In leadership development, consultants view employee engagement as a potential source of competitive advantage. These services tend to be demanded by many different businesses, particularly those within the financial and tech sectors due to their reliance on manual labor and client-facing nature.
  • More insights available in the full report

Table of Contents

About this industry

Industry definition

Management consultants in Canada advise businesses, nonprofit organizations and public sector agencies in several areas, which include organizational design, corporate strategy, marketing and sales, financial advisory and logistics.

What's included in this industry?

Strategic management consulting servicesFinancial management consulting servicesMarketing management consulting servicesHuman resources management consulting servicesOperations and supply chain management consulting servicesEconomic and social research services

Companies

AccentureMcKinsey & Company

Purchase this report to view all 2 major companies in this industry.

Related Terms

MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTHUMAN RESOURCES CONSULTINGSTRATEGIC CONSULTING

Industry Code

NAICS 2007

NAICS 54161 - Management Consulting in Canada

Performance

Get an indication of the industry's health through historical, current and forward-looking trends in the performance indicators that make or break businesses.

Analyst insights

Revenue will increase slightly during the current period, but the industry will be subject to some volatility. Management consultants in Canada have been negatively impacted ...

In this chapter (4)

  • Current Performance
  • Outlook
  • Volatility
  • Life Cycle

Key metrics

  • Annual Revenue, Recent Growth, Forecast, Revenue Volatility
  • Number of Employees, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Employee
  • Number of Businesses, Recent Growth, Forecast, Employees per Business, Revenue per Business
  • Total Profit, Profit Margin, Profit per Business

Charts

  • Revenue, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Employees, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Businesses, including historical (2015-2024) and forecast (2025-2030)
  • Profit, including historical (2015-2025)
  • Industry Volatility vs. Revenue Growth
  • Industry Life Cycle

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in supply, demand and current events that are driving current industry performance
  • Expected trends, economic factors and ongoing events that drive the industry's outlook
  • Key success factors for businesses to overcome volatility
  • How contribution to GDP, industry saturation, innovation, consolidation, and technology and systems influence the industry's life cycle phase.

Products and Markets

Learn about an industry's products and services, markets and trends in international trade.

Analyst insight

Management consultants provide a wide range of services to other businesses to help improve performance. Consultants draw upon high levels of education and experience in rele...

In this chapter

  • Products & Services
  • Major Markets

Key metrics

  • Largest market segment and value in 2025
  • Product innovation level

Charts

  • Products & services segmentation in 2025
  • Major market segmentation in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Trends impacting the recent performance of the industry's various segments
  • Innovations in the industry's product or service offering, specialization or delivery method
  • Key factors that successful businesses consider in their offerings
  • Buying segments and key trends influencing demand for industry products and services

Geographic Breakdown

Discover where business activity is most concentrated in an industry and the factors driving these trends to find opportunities and conduct regional benchmarking.

Analyst insights

Densely populated regions and business-heavy cities generate high consultant demand. Populated provinces, such as Ontario and Quebec, make up the largest share of consultant ...

In this chapter (1)

  • Business Locations

Charts

  • Share of revenue, establishment, wages and employment in each province
  • Share of population compared to establishments in each region in 2025

Tables

  • Number and share of establishments in each province in 2025
  • Number and share of revenue each province accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of wages each province accounts for in 2025
  • Number and share of employees in each province in 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Geographic spread of the industry across North America, and trends associated with changes in the business landscape
  • Key success factors for businesses to use location to their advantage

Competitive Forces

Get data and insights on what's driving competition in an industry and the challenges industry operators and new entrants may face, with analysis built around Porter's Five Forces framework.

Analyst insights

Small providers dominate the industry because of their focus on niche markets. By specializing in specific geographic areas or industries, these small businesses build custom...

In this chapter (4)

  • Concentration
  • Barriers to Entry
  • Substitutes
  • Buyer & Supplier Analysis

Key metrics

  • Industry concentration level
  • Industry competition level and trend
  • Barriers to entry level and trend
  • Substitutes level and trend
  • Buyer power level and trend
  • Supplier power level and trend

Charts

  • Market share concentration among the top 4 suppliers from 2020-2025
  • Supply chain including upstream supplying industries and downstream buying industries, flow chart

Detailed analysis

  • Factors impacting the industry’s level of concentration, such as business distribution, new entrants, or merger and acquisition activity.
  • Key success factors for businesses to manage the competitive environment of the industry.
  • Challenges that potential industry entrants face such as legal, start-up costs, differentiation, labor/capital intensity and capital expenses.
  • Key success factors for potential entrants to overcome barriers to entry.
  • Competitive threats from potential substitutes for the industry’s own products and services.
  • Key success factors for how successful businesses can compete with substitutes.
  • Advantages that buyers have to keep favorable purchasing conditions.
  • Advantages that suppliers have to maintain favorable selling conditions.
  • Key success factors for how businesses can navigate buyer and supplier power.

Companies

Learn about the performance of the top companies in the industry.

Analyst insights

Established in 1989, Accenture PLC (Accenture) is a consulting and technology company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. The company's services are vast, providing business st...

In this chapter

  • Market Share Concentration
  • Companies
  • Company Spotlights

Charts

  • Industry market share by company in 2021 through 2025
  • Major companies in the industry, including market share, revenue, profit and profit margin in 2025
  • Overview of Accenture's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025
  • Overview of McKinsey & Company's performance by revenue, market share and profit margin from 2019 through 2025

Detailed analysis

  • Description and key data for Accenture, and factors influencing its performance in the industry
  • Description and key data for McKinsey & Company, and factors influencing its performance in the industry

External Environment

Understand the demographic, economic and regulatory factors that shape how businesses in an industry perform.   

Analyst insights

The industry is subject to very light levels of regulation. The handful of rules the industry is subject to include data protection and certification.

In this chapter

  • External Drivers
  • Regulation & Policy
  • Assistance

Key metrics

  • Regulation & policy level and trend
  • Assistance level and trend

Charts

  • Regulation & Policy historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 
  • Assistance historical data and forecast (2015-2030) 

Detailed analysis

  • Demographic and macroeconomic factors influencing the industry, including Regulation & Policy and Assistance
  • Major types of regulations, regulatory bodies, industry standards or specific regulations impacting requirements for industry operators
  • Key governmental and non-governmental groups or policies that may provide some relief for industry operators.

Financial Benchmarks

View average costs for industry operators and compare financial data against an industry's financial benchmarks over time. 

Analyst insights

Brand-name consultancies drive industry-wide profitability. The largest companies, such as McKinsey & Company, tend to be more profitable because of the breadth of services t...

In this chapter

  • Cost Structure
  • Financial Ratios
  • Key Ratios

Key metrics

  • Profit margin, and how it compares to the sector-wide margin
  • Average wages, and how it compares to the sector-wide average wage
  • Largest cost component as a percentage of revenue
  • Industry average ratios for days' receivables, industry coverage and debt-to-net-worth ratio

Charts

  • Average industry operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Average sector operating costs as a share of revenue, including purchases, wages, depreciation, utilities, rent, other costs and profit in 2025
  • Investment vs. share of economy

Data tables

  • Liquidity Ratios (2018-2023)
  • Coverage Ratios (2018-2023)
  • Leverage Ratios  (2018-2023)
  • Operating Ratios (2018-2023)
  • Assets (2018-2023)
  • Liabilities (2018-2023)
  • Cash Flow & Debt Service Ratios (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Employee (2015-2030)
  • Revenue per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Establishment (2015-2030)
  • Employees per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • Average Wage (2015-2030)
  • Wages/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Establishments per Enterprise (2015-2030)
  • IVA/Revenue (2015-2030)
  • Imports/Demand (2015-2030)
  • Exports/Revenue (2015-2030)

Detailed analysis

  • Trends in the cost component for industry operators and their impact on industry costs and profitability 

Key Statistics

Industry Data

Data Tables

Including values and annual change:

  • Revenue (2015-2030)
  • IVA (2015-2030)
  • Establishments (2015-2030)
  • Enterprises (2015-2030)
  • Employment (2015-2030)
  • Exports (2015-2030)
  • Imports (2015-2030)
  • Wages (2015-2030)

Top Questions Answered

Unlock comprehensive answers and precise data upon purchase. View purchase options.

What is the market size of the Management Consulting industry in Canada in 2025?

The market size of the Management Consulting industry in Canada is $26.2bn in 2025.

How many businesses are there in the Management Consulting in Canada industry in 2025?

There are 75,976 businesses in the Management Consulting industry in Canada, which has declined at a CAGR of 2.8 % between 2020 and 2025.

Has the Management Consulting industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?

The market size of the Management Consulting industry in Canada has been growing at a CAGR of 2.3 % between 2020 and 2025.

What is the forecast growth of the Management Consulting industry in Canada over the next 5 years?

Over the next five years, the Management Consulting industry in Canada is expected to grow.

What are the biggest companies in the Management Consulting market in Canada?

The biggest companies operating in the Management Consulting market in Canada are Accenture and McKinsey & Company

What does the Management Consulting in Canada include?

Strategic management consulting services and Financial management consulting services are part of the Management Consulting industry.

Which companies have the highest market share in the Management Consulting in Canada?

The company holding the most market share in Canada is Accenture.

How competitive is the Management Consulting industry in Canada?

The level of competition is high and increasing in the Management Consulting industry in Canada.

Related Industries

Widen your competitive advantage with related industries

View all industries in Canada

Methodology

How are IBISWorld reports created?

IBISWorld has been a leading provider of trusted industry research for over 50 years to the most successful companies worldwide. With offices in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany and China, we are proud to have local teams of analysts that conduct research, data analysis and forecasting to produce data-driven industry reports.

Our analysts start with official, verified and publicly available sources of data to build the most accurate picture of each industry. Analysts then leverage their expertise and knowledge of the local markets to synthesize trends into digestible content for IBISWorld readers. Finally, each report is reviewed by one of IBISWorld’s editors, who provide quality assurance to ensure accuracy and readability.

IBISWorld relies on human-verified data and human-written analysis to compile each standard industry report. We do not use generative AI tools to write insights, although members can choose to leverage AI-based tools within the platform to generate additional analysis formats.

What data sources do IBISWorld analysts use?

Each industry report incorporates data and research from government databases, industry-specific sources, industry contacts, and our own proprietary database of statistics and analysis to provide balanced, independent and accurate insights.

Key data sources in Canada include:

  • Statistics Canada
  • Industry Canada
  • Canadian Business Patterns

Analysts also use industry specific sources to complement catch-all sources, although their perspective may focus on a particular organization or representative body, rather than a clear overview of all industry operations. However, when balanced against other perspectives, industry-specific sources provide insights into industry trends.

These sources include:

  • Industry and trade associations
  • Industry federations or regulators
  • Major industry players annual or quarterly filings

Finally, IBISWorld’s global data scientists maintain a proprietary database of macroeconomic and demand drivers, which our analysts use to help inform industry data and trends. They also maintain a database of statistics and analysis on thousands of industries, which has been built over our more than 50-year history and offers comprehensive insights into long-term trends.

How does IBISWorld forecast its data?

IBISWorld’s analysts and data scientists use the sources above to create forecasts for our proprietary datasets and industry statistics. Depending on the dataset, they may use regression analysis, multivariate analysis, time-series analysis or exponential smoothing techniques to project future data for the industry or driver. Additionally, analysts will leverage their local knowledge of industry operating and regulatory conditions to impart their best judgment on the forecast model.

IBISWorld prides itself on being a trusted, independent source of data, with over 50 years of experience building and maintaining rich datasets and forecasting tools. We are proud to be the keystone source of industry information for thousands of companies across the world.

Learn more about our methodology and data sourcing on the Help Center.