Community Futures Sunrise Business Survey

Regional Business Survey

Thank you for taking the time to complete this survey! Your responses are confidential. CF Sunrise will use this feedback to develop projects and services for small businesses throughout southeast Saskatchewan.

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* 1. What is your position with your business?

Owner

Manager

Employee

Other (please specify)

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* 2. In which community (in southeast Saskatchewan) is your business located (City, Town, Village, Rural Municipality)?

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* 3. How many years has your business been operating?

0 - 3 years

4 - 6 years

7 - 10 years

10 + years

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* 4. How many employees does your business employ?

I have no employees

1 - 4 employees

5 - 19 employees

20 - 49 employees

50 - 99 employees

100 - 299 employees

300 - 499 employees

500 and more employees

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* 5. Which of these best describes your business operation?

Brick and mortar (e.g., storefront, office space)

Home-based

Online only

A combination of the above

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* 6. Which of these best describes your business situation?

I operate this business on a full-time basis

I operate this business on a part-time basis

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* 7. Which best describes the business stage you are in right now?

Idea Development Stage

Start-Up Stage

Growth Stage

Mature Stage

Ownership Transition Stage

Business Decline

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* 8. Statistics Canada categorizes business by industry in a classification system called the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). What NAICS category best describes your business?

Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting

Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction

Utilities

Construction

Manufacturing

Wholesale trade

Retail trade

Transportation and Warehousing

Information and Cultural industries

Finance and Insurance

Real Estate and Rental and leasing

Professional, scientific and technical services

Management of companies and enterprises

Administrative and support, waste management and remediation services

Educational services

Health care and social assistance

Arts, entertainment and recreation

Accommodation and food services

Public administration

Other services (except public administration)

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* 9. Are you trying to?

Maintain your existing business

Grow your existing business (new product line, expanded location, expanded market, etc)

Sell your business

Other (please specify)

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* 10. Are you expecting growth in sales in the next calendar year?

Yes

No - Sales are expected to remain stable

No - Sales are expected to decline

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* 11. If you answered Yes to question #10, what is your projected growth, as a percentage, in annual sales?

If you answered No - Sales are expected to remain stable or No - Sales are expected to decline, please indicate Not Applicable.

1 to 9 %

10 to 24 %

25 to 49 %

50 to 100 %

Greater than 100 %

Not Applicable

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* 12. If you answered No - Sales are expected to decline to question #10, what is your projected decline, as a percentage, in annual sales?

If you answered Yes or No - Sales are expected to remain stable, please indicate Not Applicable.

1 to 9 %

10 to 24 %

25 to 49 %

50 to 100 %

Not Applicable

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* 13. In what market do you currently do the most business (check all that apply)?

Local – within 50 km of your business location

Regional – within southeast Saskatchewan

Provincial

National – parts of Canada

Outside of Canada

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* 14. Do you plan to expand your customer base within the next 2 years?

Yes

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* 15. If you answered Yes to question #14, which market(s) are you targeting for growth (check all that apply)?

If you answered No, please indicate Not Applicable.

Local – within 50 km of your business location

Regional – southeast Saskatchewan

Provincial

National – parts of Canada

Outside of Canada

Not Applicable

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* 16. How does your business market to its customers? (check all that apply)

Newspapers

Social Media

Website

Personal Contact

Referrals / Word-of-mouth

Other (please specify)

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* 17. How does your business sell to its customers (check all that apply)?

In-person sales

Social Media

Online Sales

Other (please specify)

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* 18. Rate the following potential issues or challenges in terms of their importance to your business:

	Very Important	Somewhat Important	Neutral	Not Very Important	Not Important at All	Not Applicable
Recruiting skilled workers	Recruiting skilled workers Very Important	Recruiting skilled workers Somewhat Important	Recruiting skilled workers Neutral	Recruiting skilled workers Not Very Important	Recruiting skilled workers Not Important at All	Recruiting skilled workers Not Applicable
Training and skill development	Training and skill development Very Important	Training and skill development Somewhat Important	Training and skill development Neutral	Training and skill development Not Very Important	Training and skill development Not Important at All	Training and skill development Not Applicable
Retaining valued employees	Retaining valued employees Very Important	Retaining valued employees Somewhat Important	Retaining valued employees Neutral	Retaining valued employees Not Very Important	Retaining valued employees Not Important at All	Retaining valued employees Not Applicable
Government regulations and the cost of compliance	Government regulations and the cost of compliance Very Important	Government regulations and the cost of compliance Somewhat Important	Government regulations and the cost of compliance Neutral	Government regulations and the cost of compliance Not Very Important	Government regulations and the cost of compliance Not Important at All	Government regulations and the cost of compliance Not Applicable
Access to financing and capital	Access to financing and capital Very Important	Access to financing and capital Somewhat Important	Access to financing and capital Neutral	Access to financing and capital Not Very Important	Access to financing and capital Not Important at All	Access to financing and capital Not Applicable
Technology issues in general (e.g., adoption and use of technology)	Technology issues in general (e.g., adoption and use of technology) Very Important	Technology issues in general (e.g., adoption and use of technology) Somewhat Important	Technology issues in general (e.g., adoption and use of technology) Neutral	Technology issues in general (e.g., adoption and use of technology) Not Very Important	Technology issues in general (e.g., adoption and use of technology) Not Important at All	Technology issues in general (e.g., adoption and use of technology) Not Applicable
Development and use of e-business (e.g., online sales, website development)	Development and use of e-business (e.g., online sales, website development) Very Important	Development and use of e-business (e.g., online sales, website development) Somewhat Important	Development and use of e-business (e.g., online sales, website development) Neutral	Development and use of e-business (e.g., online sales, website development) Not Very Important	Development and use of e-business (e.g., online sales, website development) Not Important at All	Development and use of e-business (e.g., online sales, website development) Not Applicable
Identifying business opportunities	Identifying business opportunities Very Important	Identifying business opportunities Somewhat Important	Identifying business opportunities Neutral	Identifying business opportunities Not Very Important	Identifying business opportunities Not Important at All	Identifying business opportunities Not Applicable
Understanding financial statements	Understanding financial statements Very Important	Understanding financial statements Somewhat Important	Understanding financial statements Neutral	Understanding financial statements Not Very Important	Understanding financial statements Not Important at All	Understanding financial statements Not Applicable
Development and use of marketing strategies	Development and use of marketing strategies Very Important	Development and use of marketing strategies Somewhat Important	Development and use of marketing strategies Neutral	Development and use of marketing strategies Not Very Important	Development and use of marketing strategies Not Important at All	Development and use of marketing strategies Not Applicable
Business planning	Business planning Very Important	Business planning Somewhat Important	Business planning Neutral	Business planning Not Very Important	Business planning Not Important at All	Business planning Not Applicable
Becoming export ready	Becoming export ready Very Important	Becoming export ready Somewhat Important	Becoming export ready Neutral	Becoming export ready Not Very Important	Becoming export ready Not Important at All	Becoming export ready Not Applicable

Other (please specify challenge and level of importance to your business)

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* 19. Did your business start-up in southeast Saskatchewan?

Yes

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* 20. If you answered yes to question #19, what were the top 1-3 reasons why you chose southeast Saskatchewan?

If you answered no, please proceed to question #22.

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* 21. If you answered yes to question #19, what were the top challenges you faced during business start-up?

If you answered no, please proceed to question #22.

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* 22. If you answered no to question #19, what were the top 1-3 reasons why you decided to relocate or expand into southeast Saskatchewan?

If you answered yes, please proceed to question #24.

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* 23. If you answered no to question #19, what were the top challenges you faced in doing so?

If you answered yes, please proceed to question #24.

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* 24. For new businesses to develop in our region, what needs to happen?

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* 25. In 2018, the federal government amended the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity. At the time of this survey, in southeast Saskatchewan, this will mean the closure of Boundary Dam Unit 4 (in 2021) and Boundary Dam Unit 5 (in 2024) at the Boundary Dam Power Station. If Carbon Capture & Storage (CCS) technology is not integrated by 2030, Shand Power Plant and Boundary Dam Unit 6 are not expected to operate as coal-fired power plants. Do you see these changes as having an impact on your business?

Yes

I don't know

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* 26. If you answered Yes to question #25, how will your business be impacted?

If No or I don't know, please proceed to question #27.

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* 27. What types of business training would you participate in if it were offered locally?

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* 28. If your desired business training was offered locally, what would prevent you from participating?

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* 29. What would be your preferred time of day for business training (check all that apply)?

Morning

Afternoon

Evening

I am not interested in business training

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* 30. What would be your preferred day for business training (check all that apply)?

Weekdays

Weekends

I am not interested in business training

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* 31. What is your preferred method of business training?

In person workshop

Webinar

Self-directed (e.g., recorded videos, workbook, etc.)

Other (please specify)

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* 32. What additional business support services would you like to see offered to businesses in the region?

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* 33. If there was funding available to address your current business needs, what would it look like?

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* 34. If there is anything else you would like to share, please do so here.

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* 35. Would you be willing to participate in future surveys to provide feedback on business support services in southeast Saskatchewan? If yes, please provide your contact information below.

Name

Company

Email Address

Community Futures Sunrise Business Survey

Regional Business Survey

Question Title

* 1. What is your position with your business?

Question Title

* 2. In which community (in southeast Saskatchewan) is your business located (City, Town, Village, Rural Municipality)?

Question Title

* 3. How many years has your business been operating?

Question Title

* 4. How many employees does your business employ?

Question Title

* 5. Which of these best describes your business operation?

Question Title

* 6. Which of these best describes your business situation?

Question Title

* 7. Which best describes the business stage you are in right now?

Question Title

* 8. Statistics Canada categorizes business by industry in a classification system called the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). What NAICS category best describes your business?

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* 9. Are you trying to?

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* 10. Are you expecting growth in sales in the next calendar year?

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* 11. If you answered Yes to question #10, what is your projected growth, as a percentage, in annual sales?If you answered No - Sales are expected to remain stable or No - Sales are expected to decline, please indicate Not Applicable.

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* 12. If you answered No - Sales are expected to decline to question #10, what is your projected decline, as a percentage, in annual sales?If you answered Yes or No - Sales are expected to remain stable, please indicate Not Applicable.

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* 13. In what market do you currently do the most business (check all that apply)?

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* 14. Do you plan to expand your customer base within the next 2 years?

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* 15. If you answered Yes to question #14, which market(s) are you targeting for growth (check all that apply)?If you answered No, please indicate Not Applicable.

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* 16. How does your business market to its customers? (check all that apply)

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* 17. How does your business sell to its customers (check all that apply)?

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* 18. Rate the following potential issues or challenges in terms of their importance to your business:

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* 19. Did your business start-up in southeast Saskatchewan?

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* 20. If you answered yes to question #19, what were the top 1-3 reasons why you chose southeast Saskatchewan?If you answered no, please proceed to question #22.

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* 21. If you answered yes to question #19, what were the top challenges you faced during business start-up?If you answered no, please proceed to question #22.

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* 22. If you answered no to question #19, what were the top 1-3 reasons why you decided to relocate or expand into southeast Saskatchewan?If you answered yes, please proceed to question #24.

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* 23. If you answered no to question #19, what were the top challenges you faced in doing so?If you answered yes, please proceed to question #24.

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* 24. For new businesses to develop in our region, what needs to happen?

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* 26. If you answered Yes to question #25, how will your business be impacted?If No or I don't know, please proceed to question #27.

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* 27. What types of business training would you participate in if it were offered locally?

Question Title

* 28. If your desired business training was offered locally, what would prevent you from participating?

Question Title

* 29. What would be your preferred time of day for business training (check all that apply)?

Question Title

* 30. What would be your preferred day for business training (check all that apply)?

Question Title

* 31. What is your preferred method of business training?

Question Title

* 32. What additional business support services would you like to see offered to businesses in the region?

Question Title

* 33. If there was funding available to address your current business needs, what would it look like?

Question Title

* 34. If there is anything else you would like to share, please do so here.

Question Title

* 35. Would you be willing to participate in future surveys to provide feedback on business support services in southeast Saskatchewan? If yes, please provide your contact information below.

* 11. If you answered Yes to question #10, what is your projected growth, as a percentage, in annual sales?

If you answered No - Sales are expected to remain stable or No - Sales are expected to decline, please indicate Not Applicable.

* 12. If you answered No - Sales are expected to decline to question #10, what is your projected decline, as a percentage, in annual sales?

If you answered Yes or No - Sales are expected to remain stable, please indicate Not Applicable.

* 15. If you answered Yes to question #14, which market(s) are you targeting for growth (check all that apply)?

If you answered No, please indicate Not Applicable.

* 20. If you answered yes to question #19, what were the top 1-3 reasons why you chose southeast Saskatchewan?

If you answered no, please proceed to question #22.

* 21. If you answered yes to question #19, what were the top challenges you faced during business start-up?

If you answered no, please proceed to question #22.

* 22. If you answered no to question #19, what were the top 1-3 reasons why you decided to relocate or expand into southeast Saskatchewan?

If you answered yes, please proceed to question #24.

* 23. If you answered no to question #19, what were the top challenges you faced in doing so?

If you answered yes, please proceed to question #24.

* 26. If you answered Yes to question #25, how will your business be impacted?

If No or I don't know, please proceed to question #27.