Business Name

Name of Contact Person

Please provide us with your email address.

Please provide your mailing/business address

A1. What type of products/services do you sell or provide?

A2. How many years has this business operated in the Blind River?

A3. Is the business locally owned?
Yes:
No:

A4. If no, where are the business headquarters?

A5. What type of goods/services does your business purchase outside of the local area?

A6. Why does your business purchase goods/services outside the local area?
1. Buying decisions made at head office located outside area: ---
2. Goods/services are not available locally -------------------------
3. Local goods/services are not competitively priced --------------
4. Other ----------------------------------------------------------------

A7. What types of goods and services does your business purchase locally?

A8. What products, supplies or services do you wish could be readily available locally?

B1. Please indicate any major problems currently affecting your business operations.

B2. Within the next three years, your business plans to:
Relocate ---------------
Down size or close ---
Expand ----------------
Stay the same --------

B3. If your business relocates, would it be in Blind River?
Yes:
No:

B4. Please indicate the primary reasons for relocating, downsizing or expanding and what problems and/or obstacles you foresee with these plans.

B5. You established your business in Blind River because?

B6. What is your general impression of Blind River as a place in which to do business?
Excellent ---
Good -------
Fair ---------
Poor --------

B7. In the past 3 years, has your attitude about doing business in Blind River changed? If so, is your attitude now:
More positive ----
More negative ---
Unchanged -------

B8. Explain your change in attitude.

B9. Which, if any, of the following factors are barriers to the expansion of existing businesses and the development of new businesses in Blind River?
Resistance from local business---------------------------
Lack of proactive new business recruitment------------
Land availability/cost--------------------------------------
Availability of space for rent or lease--------------------
Cost of leasing space--------------------------------------
Cost of construction----------------------------------------
Provincial/Federal approval processes (ex. health)-----
Municipal approval (ex. building permits)----------------
By-laws/local regulations----------------------------------
Provincial regulations--------------------------------------
Business taxes----------------------------------------------
Availability/cost of labour----------------------------------
Access to education and training programs/facilities----
Availability of business financing--------------------------
Trucking & distribution--------------------------------------
Information technology capacity---------------------------
Municipal services (health, fire, protection, etc.)---------
Water/sewer capacity/fees---------------------------------
Accessibility--------------------------------------------------
Distance from markets--------------------------------------
Utilities--------------------------------------------------------
No problems--------------------------------------------------
Other (please list) and or elaborate or comment on any of these barriers:

C1. Where is your greatest competition from?
Blind River ---------
Elliot Lake ----------
Sault Ste. Marie ---
Sudbury ------------
Other (please list):

C2. What are your business’ greatest competitive advantages?

C3. What are your business’ competitive disadvantages?

C4. What methods of business promotion are most effective for you?
Farmers market -------------------------
Donations & sponsorships --------------
Facebook/blog/social media ------------
Word of mouth ---------------------------
Trade shows & business events --------
Television --------------------------------
Signage (store front, vehicle, etc.) ----
checkbox ---------------------------------
Newspaper advertising ------------------
Internet/website -------------------------
In-house specials ------------------------
Flyers & brochures -----------------------
Cross promotions with businesses ------
Billboards ----------------------------------
Other Please List

C5. What cooperative marketing ideas would benefit your business and/or what target market would you like to focus on?

C6. Have business revenues over the past two years:
Increased: ---------
Decreased: ---------
Stayed the same: --

C7. In the next two years, you expect business revenues to:
Increase: --------
Decrease: --------
Stay the same: --

C8. What are the greatest challenges or threats your business will face in the next few years?

D1. How many employees does your business have at this time?
. .

D2. How many employees did the business have two years ago?
Less than it has now: ---
Same number as now: --
More than it has now: ---

D3. Current employment/hiring status?
Hiring: ------
Stable: ------
Downsizing:

D4. Indicate the top 3 factors that make it difficult to recruit employees?
Affordable housing: -----------------------
Available housing: -------------------------
Labour supply shortage: ------------------
Expect higher wages: ---------------------
Not interested in relocating to the north:
Unable to recruit workers with skills: -----
Lack of employment for spouse: ----------
Cost of living: -------------------------------
No problems: --------------------------------
Other (please list):

D5. Does your business have any major staffing problems or are there any types of positions in your business that are particularly hard to fill?

D6. If education and training are major staffing problems, what types of education and/or training are needed?

D7. In what areas do the management team and/or supervisors need additional training?

D8. What are the most significant barriers to your employees receiving the necessary training?