Due to the current challenges surrounding COVID-19, the start and end dates for the Business Count Survey have been pushed back and will be determined at a later date. If you have further questions, please contact Steven Tripp, Business Retention & Expansion Officer.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development will be embarking on the region’s first annual business count survey in the near future.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) plans on conducting a brief voluntary survey that will provide valuable insight into the region’s economy. It is important that data is collected on as many businesses in the community as possible to establish a healthy benchmark for local employers, planners and workforce.
The business count survey will ask questions such as:
- How many people do you employ?
- What is the square footage of your business?
- Do you import or export?
- What is the legal status and ownership of your company?
The business count survey data will:
- Provide a valuable annual snapshot of the region’s business community
- Identify vacant properties and spaces for new and existing businesses to locate, supporting the region’s main streets, business corridors and storefronts
- Provide improved regional workforce data
- Assist in making better informed decisions related to job growth, workforce development, business opportunities and community development initiatives
Employment data is being collected with three objectives:
- To establish a solid and dependable employment database
- To update our internal business directory
- To facilitate the regular collection of employment data in the future
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Some questions commonly asked regarding the survey are as follows:
- “How do I know the survey is legitimate?” – A surveyor should refer to their ID badge, golf shirt, business card and the letter from PKED.
- “Why can’t PKED get this data from my taxes?” – Tax information is strictly confidential and cannot be accessed by PKED staff. In addition, the Business Count survey requires specific data that is best obtained through a face-to-face interview process.
- “Will my answers be kept confidential?” – The information is being used, in part, to generate an updated internal business directory. We will provide municipalities the results of the survey for businesses that agree to share the results. This will be something that we strongly recommend when administering the survey. Businesses that do not want their information shared will have the specific details of their survey kept private.
- “I was already surveyed last week with similar questions, why am I being asked this again?” – It is possible that staff from another Regional department, local municipality or organization such as a Business Improvement Area were collecting information. PKED staff will not be interviewing an establishment multiple times.
Terms of use
Peterborough & the Kawarthas and its area municipalities will use the data collected through the Business Count as summarized in the following table.
| Data | Terms of Use |
| Business Name | Private |
| Business Description | Private |
| General Business Contact Information | |
| Business Address | Private |
| Mailing Address | Private |
| Business Phone Number | Private |
| Business Fax Number | Private |
| Business Email | Private |
| Business Website | Private |
| Business Details | |
| “Are you a manufacturing business? If yes, what market sector does your business serve?” | Aggregate |
| Home-Based Business | Aggregate |
| Number of Employees | Aggregate |
| “Are you hiring in the future?” | Aggregate |
| “Is your operation unionized?” | Aggregate |
| Total Floor Space | Aggregate |
| Farm – Acres | Aggregate |
| “Are you planning on expanding your floor space?” | Aggregate |
| “Is your floor space Owned or Leased?” | Aggregate |
| NAICS | Aggregate |
| Year Business Established | Aggregate |
| Year Business Established at this location | Aggregate |
| Locations outside of the Region | Aggregate |
| Import/Export | Aggregate |
| Legal Status | Aggregate |
| Ownership Form | Aggregate |
| Skills Shortage | Aggregate |
| Contact Names | Private |
Definitions
Aggregate
PKED staff may use this information publicly in aggregated form. For example, the floor space square footage of a specific business will not be made public, but the total amount of floor space in a municipality could be used publicly.
Private
PKED staff will only use this information for internal purposes and will not share or publish the information.
Business Count Survey Project Lead
Steven Tripp
Business Retention & Expansion Officer
705-743-0777 Ext. 2123
Cell: 705-930-6281