Most of Canada’s small business owners are firmly entrenched in the middle class, says the latest small business profile from CFIB.

In fact, data from Statistics Canada shows two-thirds of Canadian small business owners are earning less than $73,000. And, employers earning less than $40,000 outnumber those earning more than $250,000 by four-to-one.

These findings refute the notion that a large percentage of small business owners are wealthy individuals using small businesses to dodge taxes, says CFIB. “The truth is Canada’s small business owners are overwhelmingly middle class. They are your mechanic, accountant, hair dresser and landscaper, just trying to earn a living doing something they love,” says CFIB president Dan Kelly.

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CFIB’s business profile also finds small business owners are more likely to work longer hours than employees. More than 40% of owners work 50-plus hours per week, while only 6% of average employees fall into that category.

Further, the small business tax rate does not encourage businesses to stay small, says CFIB. Very few businesses earn even close to the $500,000 threshold that would introduce them to a higher business tax bracket, it adds, noting that 85% of small businesses could double their net earnings and still not be exposed to higher tax rates.

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