1. Bio-Products Labor Force Survey: Ontario Bio-Products Companies

This survey is for firms/companies involved in the production of bio-products. Bio-products may or may not be the primary products of the firm/company. The survey should be completed by somebody in responsible position such as a plant manager, human resource manager, production manager or someone who has knowledge of bio-products and is directly involved in the day to day operations of bio-products. All information provided is strictly confidential and we thank you for participating.

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* 1. Please indicate where your business is located.

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* 2. Please indicate your Business Industry Classification (North American Industry Classification System-NAICS) and years of operation:

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* 3. How would you categorize your company?

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* 4. What are your company's bio-products and by-products? Please list the products below:

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* 5. What are your major agricultural/forestry or marine inputs/biomass type? (Inputs directly from agriculture, forestry and marine or by-products from processed agriculture, forestry or marine).

  Crops Plants Wood Vegetable Oils Animal Manure Other
Agriculture
Forestry
Marine
Industrial Waste
Food Processing Products/By-products

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* 6. Please indicate the location and marketing/distribution channels for your primary bio-products:

  County Province Canada International
Distributors/Wholesalers
Retailers
Other Companies
Consumers
Internal Use (Company)
Exports

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* 7. What markets do you consider to be of strategic importance to your bio-products? Please explain why:

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* 8. Are there any potential markets for your products which the company has not yet exploited?

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* 9. Do you have any expansion plans for your bio-products in the next 1-5 years?

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* 10. How important are business opportunities and issues listed below to your company as current opportunities and/or challenges. Please, rank them in order of importance (1, 2, 3… 1=most important.)

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* 11. Please indicate the number of all employees in the company directly involved in bio-products operations.

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* 12. Please indicate the number of employees for each category and their corresponding age group:(under 24), (25-34), (35-44), (45-54), (55-64), (65-74) & (over 75 years) of full & part time workers for occupations that apply to your bio-products operations: Example - Biochemist 2 (>24), 1 (25-34)

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* 13. Please indicate entry level hourly wage for the following occupations that apply to your operations, if you outsource any of the services please indicate the rate of pay per hour. (example-Biochemist $25/hr, Technical Service Representatives (outsourced) $30/hr)

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* 14. What are some of the emerging occupations in your company/industry (bio-products operations)? Please explain why you think these occupations are emerging?

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* 15. Do you have any positions related to bio-products operations that you have not been able to fill in the last 12 months?

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* 16. What are some of the problems or barriers you face in recruiting skilled and unskilled labour?

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* 17. What are the top 2 methods you use for recruiting/hiring new employees? Please, list and rank them in order of effectiveness (method 1= most effective)

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* 18. How many full time employees do you plan to hire in the next 2 years and in which area of your operation (e.g. technology, computing, science, management,...)?

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* 19. What type of skills do you think your employees need training most?

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* 20. What are some of the barriers and problems your employees face in accessing training? (Please check where applicable - multiple answers allowed.)

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* 21. Please indicate your major sources of training (2-3 most used sources):

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* 22. Do you offer any apprenticeship programs?

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* 23. Does your company have a succession plan (a plan to replace retirees)?

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* 24. Please indicate the number of employees retiring, their occupations and average age (e.g. Managers (2)-average age(65), Packers(4)- Average Age(70)....):

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* 25. Do you have problems with employee turnover?

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* 26. What are some of the reasons why employees leave the company? (Please list at least 2 common reasons related to bio-products operations.)

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* 27. What steps have you taken to retain (keep) old and/or attract new employees?

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* 28. Indicate whether your company’s working atmosphere is characterized by the following conditions (Please check all that apply):

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* 29. Are some of these adverse working conditions affecting your efforts to recruit/hire and or retain employees?

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* 30. What government regulations have a negative effect on your business? Please list at least 1-2 regulations that have negative impact on your operations and explain why:

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* 31. What government regulations have interfered with or have a negative impact on your recruitment and retention of your labour-force? Please list regulations and explain why:

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* 32. Please list the most important business issues, concerns and problems your company is facing and explain why:

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* 33. Please list your company’s most important labor-force issues, concerns and problems and explain why:

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* 34. Any additional comments?

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