Due to the current challenges surrounding COVID-19, the start of the Business Count has been pushed back to June 15th. Businesses will be contacted via phone and electronic communication. 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 in June 2020.
Peterborough & the Kawarthas Economic Development (PKED) plans on conducting a brief voluntary count 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 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 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 four 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
- To enhance communication channels with businesses to directly share programs and opportunities that can benefit their operations.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Some questions commonly asked regarding the count are as follows:
- “How do I know the count is legitimate?” – If a surveyor calls you over the phone they will be calling from a verified Peterborough & the Kawarthas line. If you are unsure that it is someone from Peterborough and the Kawarthas Economic Development, please contact Steven Tripp.
- “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 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 count for businesses that agree to share the results. This will be something that we strongly recommend when administering the count. Businesses that do not want their information shared will have the specific details of their count kept private.
- “I was already asked similar questions last week, 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 Project Lead
Steven Tripp
Business Retention & Expansion Officer
705-743-0777 Ext. 2123
Cell: 705-930-6281
Location Schedule
*Estimated
| Date(s) | Where |
| June 15 – June 19 | North Kawartha |
| June 22 – June 26 | Trent Lakes |
| June 29 – July 10 | Havelock-Belmont-Metheun |
| July 13 – July 17 | Douro-Dummer |
| July 20 – July 24 | Apshodel Norwood |
| July 27 – July 31 | Otonabee South Monaghan |
| Aug 3 – Aug 7 | Cavan Monaghan |
| Aug 10 – Aug 14 | Selwyn |
| Aug 17 – Sept 4 | City of Peterborough |