Provincial BR+E Survey Results

2009 to 2014

Purpose of Presentation

• To support communities undertaking BR+E projects

with their data analysis.

• To provide context and the ability for communities to

benchmark their local results.

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Context

• Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) is a structured action-

oriented and community-based approach to business and economic

development. It promotes job growth by helping communities learn

about issues as well as opportunities for local businesses and sets

priorities for projects to address these needs.

• BR+E projects are led by municipalities/organizations across the

province, and consist of trained volunteers conducting confidential

interviews with businesses in their communities.

• Provincial results are compiled from each of the communities

contributing data to the online data management system.

• The results include 73 projects and 3,123 surveys undertaken

between January 1, 2009 and December 31, 2014.

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4

Considerations

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• Sector differences between your community and the

province-wide results

• Scope of the project e.g. Local Food or Tourism

focus

When comparing your community’s results with the

provincial results there are several factors to keep in

mind:

• Timeframe of the project and the economic conditions

at that time

Percent of Businesses Surveyed by North

American Industry Classification System (NAICS)

21%

4%

13%

1%

21%

2% 1%3%

1%

6%

1% 1%

5%3%

10%

6%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

Number of respondents=2,454 Mining, Utilities, Management of Companies and Enterprise, Public

Administration at 0%

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Question Business Information (BI) 1. Which of

the following best describes your business?

7

84%

8%2% 6%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

Locally owned andoperated, with one

location

Locally owned andoperated, with more

than one location

Franchise Branch or division ofa regional, national

or internationalcompany

N=1,537

Business Information

Yes, 67.0%

No , 33.0%

Question Bl4. Does your

business have a business

plan?

Yes, 73.5%

No, 26.5%

Question Bl3. Is at least

one of the owners a

resident of the

community?

Yes, 86.5%

No, 13.5%

Question Bl2. Is at least

one of the owners

involved in the day-to-

day operation of the

business?

N=643 N=645 N=654

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Question Bl5. How many years has this

business been in operation in this community?

9

3%

11%

22%

29%

12%

24%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

Less than 1year

1 to 3 years 4 to 10 years 11 to 25years

26 to 35years

Over 35years

N=3,107

Question Bl7. Including owner/owners, how

many employees work at this location?

46%

22%

14%

6% 5% 4% 3%1%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

1 - 4 5 - 9 10 - 19 20 - 29 30 - 49 50 - 99 100 - 299 300 ormore

N=3,134

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Bl9. The primary market of your business is?

Local, 34.8%

Regional, 43.0%

National, 10.7%

International, 11.6%

N=647

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Business Climate (BC)

12

No response,

2%

Poor, 5%

Fair, 21%

Good, 50%

Excellent, 21%

Yes, more positive,

20%

Yes, more negative,

19%

No change,

61%

BC1. What is your general impression

of the community as a place to do

business?

BC2. In the past three years has

your attitude changed?

N=3,121 N=3,072

Question BC3. How would you rate the following

factors of doing business in this community?

3%

13%

5%

8%

8%

13%

19%

9%

3%

17%

5%

17%

26%

25%

25%

20%

17%

28%

34%

22%

92%

70%

68%

67%

67%

67%

64%

63%

63%

62%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Quality of life (2,121)

Availability of adequate electricity (716)

Support from other businesses (2,050)

Local roads and streets (716)

Regional/Provincial roads and highways(716)

Availablility of health and medicalservices (716)

Support from local residents (716)

Cellular phone service (716)

Internet service (2,043)

Availability of adequate housing (716)

Not applicable (Poor & Fair) (Good & Excellent)

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5%

7%

42%

15%

17%

34%

7%

48%

41%

25%

47%

72%

61%

46%

45%

15%

45%

45%

30%

64%

24%

32%

48%

29%

12%

33%

49%

47%

43%

39%

38%

36%

28%

28%

28%

27%

24%

16%

6%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Workforce (2,060)

Support from municipality (2,011)

Water/wastewater capacity (716)

Land costs (1,847)

Development/building permit process (1807)

Proximity to rail and airports (716)

Municipal property taxes (2,022)

Availability of serviced land (716)

Availability of space for rent or lease (716)

Development charges (1,553)

Water/wastewater fees (716)

Cost of natural gas (214)

Cost of electricity (214)

Not applicable (Poor & Fair) (Good & Excellent)

Question BC3. How would you rate the following

factors of doing business in this community?

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Question BC4 Rate your level of satisfaction with each

of the following community services?

23%

37%

50%

56%

63%

71%

71%

77%

8%

6%

10%

11%

5%

5%

10%

10%

69%

58%

40%

32%

32%

25%

19%

13%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Schools (elementary and secondary) (2,241)

Chamber of Commerce/Board of Trade (2,006)

Post-secondary education (college, university, andprivate college) (2,203)

Child care services (2,210)

Business Improvement Area (BIA) (2,004)

Community Futures Development Corp (2,043)

Workforce planning/development board (2,192)

Small Business Enterprise Centre (716)

Not applicable (Poor & Fair) (Good & Excellent)

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Question BC4. Rate your level of satisfaction with each

of the following community services?

12%

17%

11%

6%

12%

15%

25%

25%

7%

30%

23%

27%

49%

4%

8%

14%

21%

17%

15%

7%

11%

39%

16%

24%

29%

21%

84%

75%

75%

73%

71%

69%

68%

64%

54%

54%

54%

45%

29%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Fire services (2,235)

Parks and open spaces (716)

Police services (716)

Snow removal (2,238)

Recreation facilities (2,211)

Garbage/recycling (2,228)

Library services (2,232)

Health department/health unit approvals (2,241)

Street/road repair (2,235)

Cultural facilities (1,713)

Public transit (2,241)

Planning, engineering, zoning and building permits…

Economic development services (716)

Not applicable (Poor & Fair) (Good & Excellent)

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Question FP1. Within the next 18 months, what

are your plans?

Remain the Same, 50%

Expand, 38%

Downsize, 3%

Relocate, 6%

Close / Sell, 3%

N=3,185

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Business Development (BD)

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Question BD3. Are your projected

sales in the next year expected to?

N=704

Question BD1. What is the

outlook for your industry?

N=690

Increase, 55%

Decrease, 7%

Remain the same,

31%

Not sure , 8%

Growing, 44%

Declining, 11%

Stable , 37%

Not sure , 8%

Question BD2. Please give an approximate

annual sales range for your business?

N=704

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13%12%

13%

10%

19%20%

1%

12%

0

0.05

0.1

0.15

0.2

0.25

$0 - $99,999 $100,000 -$249,999

$250,000 -$499,999

$500,000 -$999,999

$1,000,000 -$4,999,999

$5,000,000 -$9,999,999

+10,000,000 Prefer not toanswer

Question BD5. Is your business currently experiencing

any barriers related to your information

technology requirements?

34%

18%

11%

11%

3%

10%

13%

0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4

No barriers currently being experienced

Internet speed

Internet access

Internet cost

Hardware/software support

Knowledge and training

Other (Specify)

N=2,223

Question BD7. Are you interested in working co-

operatively with other businesses in the community to

pursue any of the following?

13%

23%

17%

24%

13%

10%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

N=2,937

Question WF1. During the past 3 years, has the number

of people you employ in this business increased,

decreased or stayed the same?

Increased, 34%

Decreased, 14%

Remain the same, 51%

Don't know, 0%

N=2,161

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Question Workforce (WF) 2. How would you rate the

following factors in this community for

your business needs?

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6%

6%

19%

17%

41%

35%

37%

46%

54%

59%

44%

37%

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Availability of qualified workers (2086)

Stability of the workforce (2058)

Ability to attract new employees (706)

Ability to retain new employees (208)

Not Applicable (Poor & Fair) (Good & Excellent)

Workforce

Question WF6. Does your

business currently

participate in any co-op,

internship or apprenticeship

programs?

Yes, 41.4%No,

58.6%Yes,

54.7%

No, 45.3%

Question WF7. Does

your business

currently use any

external training?

Yes, 39.8%No ,

60.2%

Question WF3. Does

your business

currently have

difficulty hiring?

N=1,428 N=203 N=649

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Question Community Development (CD) 1. Do you

know of a business that may have an interest in

locating in this community?

9%

91%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Yes NoN= 3,025

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Question CD5. What assistance or opportunities would

be beneficial to support your business?

0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700

Updating business plan

Succession planning

Marketing seminars

Access to capital seminars

Trade shows

Business networking sessions

Export development programs and services

Joint advertising and marketing

Attraction of related supply & services…

Workforce planning, employee training…

Productivity improvement workshops

E-marketing, social media and online…

Other (Specify)

N=4,724 (Businesses could provide more than one response)

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For more Information

For more information on the BR+E program please visit our

website:

http://omafra.gov.on.ca/english/rural/edr/bre/index.html

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