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Have your voice heard!

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance the business environment and provide meaningful support, we are reaching out to the business community to better understand the current needs and challenges faced by businesses.

The survey will take 5 minutes to complete and your responses will be kept confidential. Aggregate insights will be shared with partners and policy-makers. Your input will directly influence our work to create a stronger, more resilient business community in HRM!

*We are doing a draw for five $100 gift cards to a local business of choice for completing the survey. To be eligible for the draw, surveys must be received by 11:59 pm on Sunday, March 23, 2025 and contact information must be provided.

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* 1. Which of the following describes your current position within your organization?

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* 2. What is the principal sector or industry for your business in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM)?

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* 3. Where is your business located in HRM?

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* 4. Please provide your business postal code:

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* 5. How many full-time employees, including yourself, are currently working at your business in HRM?

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* 6. All things considered, how would you rate HRM as a place to do business?

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* 7. How optimistic are you of the current economic prospects for your business operations in HRM?

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* 8. Compared to five years ago, would you say the economic conditions for your business operations in HRM are now:

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* 9. In terms of your business operations in HRM, how confident are you in your prospects for revenue growth over the next five years?

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* 10. Over the next 12 months in your business operations in HRM, do you expect your company will introduce a new product or service?

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* 11. Over the next 12 months in your business operations in HRM, do you expect your company will enter a new market outside Nova Scotia or Canada?

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* 12. Over the next 12 months in your business operations in HRM, do you expect your company will make a major investment (more than 2 percent of your revenue) in research and development?

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* 13. Over the next 12 months, will your company relocate current operations or consider relocating your current operations?

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* 14. Over the next 12 months in your business operations in HRM, do you expect your company will increase employee training or skills development activities?

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* 15. Do you experience any problems or challenges with transportation infrastructure that moves people, inputs, and/or products to and from your business location?

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* 16. Do you have any issues or concerns regarding municipal services at your location? E.g. – police, fire, water, garbage, zoning, licensing, permitting, roads, public transportation, etc.

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* 17. Does your company have a 3-to-5-year strategic plan?

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* 18. Does your company have:

  Yes, in my strategic plan Yes, a standalone plan No, I need help with this
Export plan
Workforce plan
Business Continuity plan
Research & Development plan
Exit Strategy/Plan to Sell Business

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* 19. If you have export markets, where are they located? Please select all that apply.

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* 20. In which export markets are you considering in the future? Please select all that apply.

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* 21. How many trade fairs or trade shows does your company attend per year?

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* 22. Over the next five years, do you expect overall sales outside of Nova Scotia, including exports, to:

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* 23. What are the main impediments to supporting out-of-province or international sales for your company? Please select all that apply.

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* 24. Where are the trade fairs and tradeshows located? Please select all that apply.

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* 25. What are your biggest business opportunities?

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* 26. What are your biggest business challenges?

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* 27. Will your business need financial support to expand or maintain your business operations?

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* 28. If yes, where approximately do you see those needs falling?

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* 29. Where have you received financial support (loans) for your business in the past?

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* 30. Do you feel adequately informed about the funding options available to small businesses in your area?

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* 31. What is the biggest obstacle to increasing productivity in your business?

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* 32. Productivity refers to the amount of work an individual or business accomplishes within a certain amount of time. Greater productivity means you complete more with less time or effort to be more efficient. On a scale of 1 to 10 how important is increasing productivity in your business? (Please click on the slider to choose your scale range)

1 10
Clear
i We adjusted the number you entered based on the slider’s scale.

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* 33. Would your business benefit from support to help reduce energy consumption?

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* 34. How would you rate your company’s overall power usage in terms of energy efficiency?

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* 35. How can economic development organizations better support your business?

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* 36. Now that the United States has imposed significant, across-the-board tariffs on products entering from Canada, and Canada has imposed retaliatory tariffs, how much will this impact your business?

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* 37. Thank you! We are doing a draw for five $100 gift cards to a local business of choice for completing the survey. To be eligible for the draw, surveys must be received by 11:59 pm on Sunday, March 23, 2025 and contact information must be provided below.

If you're not interested in the draw and would like someone to follow up with you while keeping this survey anonymous, please visit our website and provide your contact information there.

Or fill out the contact information below and someone from our SmartBusiness Team will reach out.

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