FINAL REPORT - United Counties of Prescott and Russellen.prescott-russell.on.ca › UserFiles › Servers › Server... · 4 5 FINAL REPORT / THE NATION MUNICIPALITY A WORD FROM THE

FINAL REPORT

BUSINESS PROFILE..................................................................................................8

Type of Business Ownerships and Operations .............................................8

Core Business Market .............................................................................................9

Involvement of Business Owners in Daily Operations ............................10

Place of Residence of Owners ..........................................................................10

Number of Years in Business Within the Community .............................. 11

Number of Years in Business of Current Owners ...................................... 12

Business Plan ........................................................................................................... 13

Property Title of Primary Facilities ...................................................................14

Business Profile - SWOT ......................................................................................16

A WORD FROM THE MAYOR .............................................................................4

INTRODUCTION ...................................................................................................... 5

DEFINITION OF “BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION” ................ 5

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ........................................................................................6

WORKFORCE PROFILE ........................................................................................18

Number of Employees per Business, Including Owners ........................18

Overview of Permanent and Temporary Jobs ............................................19

Change in the Number of Employees Over the Last Three Years .............................................................................................19

Review of Workforce Attributes ........................................................................21

Recruitment Difficulties ......................................................................................23

Recruitment Methods for New Hires ........................................................... 26

Retention of Employees ..................................................................................... 28

Participation of Businesses in Co-op, Internship and Apprenticeship Programs ....................................................................... 29

Access to Training ................................................................................................. 30

Workforce - SWOT ...............................................................................................33

BUSINESS PROFILE

WORKFORCE PROFILE

BUSINESS CLIMATE

FUTURE PROJECTS

MAJOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

ACTION PLAN

01

02

03

04

05 06

BUSINESS CLIMATE .............................................................................................. 36

General Perception of the Community as a Business Centre ........................................................................................... 36

Change of Business Stakeholders’ Perception of the Community Over the Last Three Years.............................................37

Review of Key Community Business Factors ............................................ 38

Level of Satisfaction for Each Services ...........................................................41

Industry Perspective of Community Businesses ...................................... 43

Annual Sales ............................................................................................................ 45

Use of Technology by Community Businesses ..........................................47

Business Procurement ........................................................................................ 48

Cooperation Between Businesses ............................................................... 50

Community Advantages and Disadvantages ..............................................51

Major Changes Within the Business Community Forecasted Over the Next Five Years ..............................................................52

Support for the Implementation of Operations ........................................ 54

Business Climate - SWOT ...................................................................................55

FUTURE PROJECTS ............................................................................................ 58

Future Business Plans ......................................................................................... 58

Expansion ................................................................................................................ 59

Decrease of Operations...................................................................................... 64

Sale ............................................................................................................................. 65

Closure .......................................................................................................................67

Future Plans - SWOT ............................................................................................ 68

Table of Contents

PAGE 70 PAGE 72

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A WORD FROM THE MAYOR INTRODUCTION

DEFINITION OF “BUSINESS RETENTION AND EXPANSION”

The Nation Municipality’s Department of Economic Development, in partnership with the Economic Development and Tourism Department of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (PREDT), conducted 69 interviews from May to December 2017 with business owners in the community specializing in commercial, industrial, agricultural and tourism sectors. Of all businesses listed in 2017, 240 of them conducted operations in the four above-mentioned sectors. Considering the survey sample size, our level of confidence is 95% and the margin of error is 10%.

A simple random stratified sampling method was used to ensure adequate representation of target sectors, prorated by the number of community businesses specializing in these areas. Collected data was then analyzed anonymously by the business community as part of a data review exercise. This survey’s response rate is 86%, which was calculated based on empirical research.

In this survey, “region” refers to the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR), as provided for in Statistics Canada’s census division and “community” refers to geographic boundaries of The Nation Municipality, as provided for in Statistics Canada’s census subdivision. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of regional and local results serves as a point of reference in this survey.

The concept for “Business Retention and Expansion” (BR+E) is a structured community approach for economic development, which is action-oriented to support business development and economic enhancement. This approach promotes business development by helping communities understand local challenges and opportunities that their business community is faced with. The BR+E concept is structured around confidential interviews with business owners. Collected data is then analyzed and action plans in support of retention and expansion of local businesses are developed to highlight not only weaknesses and threats but also strengths and opportunities.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs launched the BR+E concept in 1998 and since then, more than 230 retention projects were developed by hundreds of communities in the province.

The Nation Municipality is proud to present you this final report and would like to thank all the businesses that accepted to participate in this survey. The answers provided allowed us, amongst other things, to establish an action plan which will encourage the development and fulfillment of our local businesses.

With this report, we were able to take a greater look at our strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats related to the economic development of the region. This report also allowed us to get a clearer overall picture of our local businesses and our workforce. All the information collected was reviewed by The Nation Municipality’s Economic Development Committee and will be used for social and community improvements.

Rest assured that we will make every effort to make good use of the data provided and that

the economic development of our communities is a project that we are dedicated to and that we hold close to our hearts.

François St-Amour,

Mayor

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

BUSINESS PROFILE

This project was made possible by the generous financial contributions of collaborators below:

This project was successful with the support of community organizations below:

We would also like to thank all 563 business owners who participated regionally in this survey for their contribution and dedication.

La chambre de commercede Prescott-Russell inc.

The Prescott-RussellChamber of Commerce Inc.

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BUSINESS PROFILE

TYPE OF BUSINESS OWNERSHIPS AND OPERATIONS

Local ownership and operations

at one location

Local ownership and

operations at more than one location

Franchise Regional, national or international business branch

or divisionThe Nation

UCPR

(BI1– 69 responses)

% o

f b

usi

nes

ses

Type of properties and operations

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

80%

72%

16% 16%

4% 6%0%

7%

Locally owned and operated businesses with more than one location have, on average, 8.5 properties. These businesses have at least 2 properties and at most 50 properties.

Regional, national or international business branches or divisions have a head office in Canada, in Toronto, Montreal and Québec City.

CORE BUSINESS MARKET

Local

The NationUCPR

Regional

The NationUCPR

National

The NationUCPR

InternationalThe NationUCPR

7% 7%

46% 59%

43% 29%

4% 4%

(BI9 – 69 responses)

% of businesses

% of businesses

% of businesses

% of businesses

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

2.5%

3.0%

3.5%

4.0%

OVERVIEW

In The Nation Municipality, most businesses are locally owned and conduct operations at one location. However, compared to regional results, The Nation has very few franchised businesses and a small number of regional, national or international business branches or divisions. Hence, diversification of operations on national and international markets would be beneficial.

OPP.ACTION O1-p. 86

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OVERVIEW

Businesses in The Nation Municipality operate mainly at a regional level (46%) and local level (43%). Compared with the UCPR, they conduct fewer operations regionally and more locally. The portion of national and international operations is similar to regional data. Therefore, diversification of businesses in The Nation Municipality in regional, national and international markets would be beneficial.

OPP.ACTION O2-p. 86

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NUMBER OF YEARS IN BUSINESS WITHIN THE COMMUNITY(BI5– 69 responses)

The NationUCPR

Nu

mb

er o

f ye

ars

% of businesses

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30%

17%

25%

30%

21%

26%

1%

4%

17%30%

2%

7%

19%

Over 35 years

26 -35 years

11-25 years

4-10 years

1-3 years

Less than one year

INVOLVEMENT OF BUSINESS OWNERS IN DAILY OPERATIONS


InvolvedNot involved

The Nation7%

93%UCPR9%

91%

PLACE OF RESIDENCE OF OWNERS


In the communityOutside the community

The Nation UCPR14%86%

23%77%

OVERVIEW

In The Nation Municipality, 86% of business owners live in the community. At a regional level, 77% of business owners live in their respective communities. Thus, The Nation has a favourable position in this regard.

OVERVIEW

31% of businesses in The Nation have been established for less than 10 years. Conversely, 68% of businesses have been established for over 11 years and many have been established for 26 to 35 years. Compared to the UCPR, The Nation has fewer businesses that have been established for 1 to 3 years, 11 to 25 years and over 35 years. There are, however, many businesses that have been established for less than 12 months, 4 to 10 years and 26 to 35 years, which represents a strength for the community.

A vast majority (91%) of business owners in The Nation Municipality participate in daily operations. Compared to the UCPR, business owners are slightly less engaged in business operations. These statistics support the principle that a large number of businesses in The Nation Municipality are locally owned and operated at one location only.

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STRENGTH ACTION S1-p. 72



WEAKNESSACTION W1-p. 82

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OVERVIEW

In The Nation Municipality, 63% of business owners will need to begin succession planning shortly. Compared to the UCPR, there are more business owners who have been managing their business for 26 to 35 years, which stresses the importance of succession planning to ensure sustainability of these businesses.

NUMBER OF YEARS IN BUSINESS OF CURRENT OWNERS(BI6 – 69 responses)

The NationUCPR

Nu

mb

er o

f ye

ars

% of businesses

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%32%

10%

30%

32%

23%

10%

28%

24%

Over 35 years

26 -35 years

11-25 years

4-10 years

1-3 years

Less than one year

3%

6%

17%

13%

3%

BUSINESS PLAN

Do Companies Have a Business Plan?

(BI4-A – 65 responses)

% of businesses

NO YESThe NationNO YESUCPR

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

51%

48%

49%

52%

When Was It Last Updated?

(BI4-B – 29 responses)

The NationUCPR

Nu

mb

er o

f ye

ars

% of businesses

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

14%

45%

41%

31%

50%

14%

Over 5 years

4-5 years

1-3 years

Less than 1 year

0%

5%

OVERVIEW

In The Nation Municipality, one out of two business owners has a business plan. Though this number is significant, regional results are similar. Furthermore, business owners with a business plan tend to update it regularly, at least once every three years.

BU

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OPP.ACTION O3-p. 86

THREATACTION T1-p. 92

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PROPERTY TITLE OF PRIMARY FACILITIES

(BD8-A – 71 responses)

OwnLease

The Nation25%

75%UCPR13%87%

When Does the Current Lease Term End?

(BD8-B – 5 responses)

Over 3 years

2-3 years

Next year

This year

The NationUCPR

Nu

mb

er o

f ye

ars

% of businesses

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

60%

43%

40%

20%

18%

19%

0%

0%

Do Businesses Anticipate Having Problems with Lease Renewal?

(BD8-C – 7 responses)

YesNo

100%

0%

The Nation 96%4%

UCPR

OVERVIEW

87% of business owners have purchased their current location. In contrast, 13% of business owners are leasing their location and will be renewing their term in over two years. No owner anticipates experiencing issues with renewal.

BU

SIN

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PR

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WORKFORCE PROFILE02

BUSINESSPROFILE - SWOT

STRENGTHS

• 91% of business owners in The Nation are involved in daily business operations. (BI2)

• 86% of business owners live in the community. (BI3)

• 68% of businesses have been established for over 11 years and many have been established for 26 to 35 years. (BI5)

• Business owners with a business plan tend to keep it updated, at least every three years. (BI4)

• 87% of business owners have purchased their current location. (BD8)

• 13% of business owners are leasing their current location and will be renewing their term in over two years. No tenant expects to have difficulties renewing its lease agreement. (BD8)

WEAKNESS

• Few businesses have been established for one to three years and over 35 years, which could indicate challenges for start-up companies and succession planning. (BI5)

OPPORTUNITIES

• Increased diversity in regard to business properties and operations in The Nation would be beneficial. (BI1)

• 89% of business owners in The Nation mainly operate at a regional level (46%) or local level (43%). Better diversification of operations on national and international markets would be beneficial. (BI9)

• 63% of business owners will soon need to begin succession planning. (BI6)

THREAT

• Only one out of two business owners in the community has a business plan. (BI4)

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OVERVIEW OF PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY JOBS

(BI8)

Full-time permanentPart-time permanentTemporary/seasonal

The Nation24%

8%

68%UCPR19%

17%

64%

CHANGE IN THE NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS

(WF1-A – 69 responses)Increased

DecreasedUnchanged

% o

f em

plo

yees

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

51%

9%

41%

53%

11%

36%

The Nation UCPR

NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES PER BUSINESS, INCLUDING OWNERS

The NationUCPR

Number of employees: 1 to 4

The NationUCPR


The NationUCPR


The NationUCPR


The NationUCPR


The NationUCPR


The NationUCPR


The NationUCPR

Number of employees: 300 +


% of businesses

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

0%

1%

2%

3%

4%

5%

6%

7%

8%

0.0%

0.5%

1.0%

1.5%

2.0%

41%45%0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

23%25% 16%14% 8%1%

6%4% 4%7% 2%1%0.0%

0.2%

0.4%

0.6%

0.8%

1.0%

0%1%

WORKFORCE PROFILE

OVERVIEW

The Nation has a larger number of very small employers (between one and four employees) than the UCPR. 70% of businesses have nine employees or less. The community is therefore mainly comprised of small employers. Compared to the UCPR, The Nation has less medium-sized and large employers. It should be noted, however, that there are, though only a few, businesses with more than 300 employees.

OVERVIEW

The share of full-time permanent jobs in the community is 64% and the share of part-time permanent jobs is 19%. The exceptionally high percentage of temporary or seasonal jobs (17%) in The Nation is 9% higher than in the UCPR. Nonetheless, the high percentage of temporary or seasonal jobs represents a weakness for the community.

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OPP.ACTION O4-p. 86


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REVIEW OF WORKFORCE ATTRIBUTES

Availability of Qualified Workers

(WF2 – 69 responses)

Good to excellentFairPoor

The Nation33%

27%UCPR

24%

34%26%

22%

Number of Jobs Created and Lost in the Last Three Years

(WF1-A)

Number of jobs lost in the last three years

23 169

Number of jobs created in the last three years

Reasons for the Loss and Creation of Jobs

Loss of jobs

• Ageing of business owners

• Instability in the workforce, especially with younger employees who have a hard time dealing with workplace requirements

• Slowdown in the construction sector

• Imminent business closure

Creation of jobs

• Business expansion

• Higher demand

• Increased clientele

• Market development

• Higher workload

• Process optimization

• New technologies (online solutions)

• Part-time jobs becoming full-time jobs

• Reoganization of work duties

(WF1-B)

OVERVIEW

60% of business owners in The Nation do not properly assess the availability of qualified workers. Of this percentage, 34% of owners consider the availability of qualified workers as poor. These statistics apply not only to The Nation, but also similarly to the entire region.

OVERVIEW

In the last three years, 41% of employers in The Nation hired new employees; 51% made no changes to their existing employee base; and 9% shed jobs. More specifically, 169 jobs were created compared to 23 jobs that were lost. In contrast with the UCPR, employers in The Nation showed a 5% higher increase in the creation of jobs and a 2% lower decrease in the shedding of jobs during the same period.

In summary, employers’ capacity to create new jobs represents a strength for the community. Thus, the low percentage of jobs being shed is explained by ageing of business owners, workforce instability, the closure of certain businesses and the slowdown in the construction sector.


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Ability to Retain New Employees


Good to excellentFair to poor

The Nation UCPR 51% 30%46% 40%

RECRUITMENT DIFFICULTIES

Are Business Owners Currently Experiencing Recruitment Difficulties?

YES NOThe NationYES NOUCPR

(WF3-A – 67 responses)

% of businesses

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

49%

45%

51%

55%

Workforce Stability



The Nation 47%UCPR37%

39% 44%

Ability to Attract New Employees



The Nation 33%UCPR 50%41%

31%

41% of employers in The Nation assess their ability to attract new employees as “good to excellent”. Compared to regional results, employers rate their ability to attract new employees more positively.

OVERVIEW

44% of employers in The Nation rate stability in the workforce as “fair to poor”. Compared to the UCPR, 8% less business owners rate stability in the workforce as “good to excellent”.

OVERVIEWOVERVIEW

46% of employers in The Nation consider the community’s ability to retain new employees as “good to excellent”. Compared to the UCPR, this percentage is 5% lower, which represents a weakness for the community.

OVERVIEW

One out of two business owners in The Nation is currently experiencing recruitment difficulties. Compared to the UCPR, this number is slightly higher.




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OVERVIEW

56% of employers facing this problem in The Nation consider recruitment difficulties to be related to the industry rather than the community. Compared to the UCPR, this percentage is almost the same.

Are Recruitment Difficulties Specifically Related to the Community or Industry?

(WF3-C – 43 responses)

CommunityIndustry

The Nation 43%UCPR 57%44% 56%

Difficult Positions to Fill in the Community

Stream 1

• Labourer (seasonal worker, general worker, farm labourer, concrete worker)

• Truck driver

• Sales associate

• Water inspector

• Financial advisor

• Farm machinery operator

• Client care attendent (day and night shifts)

• Bus driver

• Licensed electrician

• Accountant

• Manager

• Computer specialist

• Day labourer

• Housekeeping attendant

• General mechanics technician

• Experienced cook

What Recruitment Difficulties Are Businesses Experiencing?

Insu�cient number of candidates

Lack of training/

appropriate skills

Lack of relevant

experience

Other

The NationUCPR

(WF3-B – 71 responses)

Recruitment di�culties

% o

f b

usi

nes

ses

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%31% 32%

30%31%

11%

10%

28% 27%

OVERVIEW

In order of importance, difficulties that businesses in The Nation are having are as follows: insufficient number of available candidates, lack of appropriate skill sets, and lack of relevant experience. Some employers have also raised issues in regard to shortages of manual workers, competition with private and public sectors, exodus of workers to Ottawa, and lack of local public transportation services.


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Other

• Agricultural training programs (Montreal and Guelph)

• Eastern Ontario Agri-Food Network

• Support from other local businesses

• High schools

How Do Business Owners in the UCPR Hire New Employees?

UCPR

(WF4)

RecommendationsPersonal network

Employment centresand websites

Unsolicited résumésSocial mediaLocal media

Company websiteRecruitment firms

On-site postersOther

18%

17%

15%12%

10%

9%

7%

4%

4% 4%

Stream 2

• Versatile worker

• Clerk (office and client services)

• Mechanic

• Tour guide

• Accounting technician

• Picker (agricultural sector)

• Administration personnel

• Event planner

• Delivery person

• Floor coverings intaller

Stream 3

• Account manager

• Business manager

• Engineer

• Labourer manufacturer

(WF3-D)

RECRUITMENT METHODS FOR NEW HIRES

How Do Business Owners in The Nation Hire New Employees?

The Nation

(WF4 - 232 responses)

RecommendationsEmployment centres

and websitesPersonal network

Unsolicited résumésLocal media

Social mediaCompany websiteRecruitment firms

On-site postersOther

19%

15%

15%11%

11%

9%

6%

5%

5%4%

OVERVIEW

Employers in The Nation often hire employees through recommendations, employment centres and employment websites, and personal networks. In contrast, they rarely hire new employees through their company website, employment firms and “Now Hiring” posters. Compared to the UCPR, results are almost identical.

OPP.ACTION O6-p. 86

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RETENTION OF EMPLOYEES

Do Business Owners Have a Difficult Time Keeping Their Employees?


The Nation UCPR

YesNo

17% 83%33% 67%

Why Are They Having a Difficult Time Keeping Their Employees?


The NationUCPR

% of businesses

Salary

Competition

Seasonal

Work environ-

ment

Other

Di�

cult

ies

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

32%

16%

11%

16%

27%

16%

23%

24%

18%

18%

Workplace (please specify)

• Difficult working conditions (agricultural sector)

• Work hours and schedules

• Demanding physical duties

Other

• Proximity to large cities

• Weather conditions (impacting the work to be done)

• Employees with excellent performance open their own business

PARTICIPATION OF BUSINESSES IN CO-OP, INTERNSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP PROGRAMS


The Nation 37%UCPR 63%

InvolvedNot involved

46% 54%

If Not, Would Business Owners Like to Receive Information on Co-op, Internship or Apprenticeship Programs ?



YesNo

33% 67%

OVERVIEW

67% of employers in The Nation indicate that they have no difficulty retaining employees. Employers who are experiencing issues say that the main causes are the salary and the nature of seasonal work. Compared to the UCPR, 16% more businesses in The Nation are experiencing challenges in regard to employee retention.


OPP.ACTION O7-p. 88

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Barriers to Receiving Required Training

Cost Awareness to available

training programs

Awareness to training

support programs

Availability of on-site training

Impossible to release

sta�

Other


The NationUCPR Barriers

% o

f b

usi

nes

ses

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40% 39%

28%

6%

10%

24%24%

3%

10%

18%

10%

21%

6%

ACCESS TO TRAINING

Are Business Owners Currently Participating in External Training Programs?



YesNo

57% 43%

Are There Any Barriers Preventing Employees or Business Owners from Receiving Required Training?



YesNo

31%69%

OVERVIEW

46% of business owners in The Nation use co-op, internship or apprenticeship programs. These programs are offered by high schools, colleges and universities. Of all business owners who do not participate in these programs, 67% are not interested in receiving additional information in this respect. Compared to the UCPR, results are similar.

OVERVIEW

57% of business owners in The Nation are currently participating in an external training program. Compared to the UCPR, business owners in The Nation are more likely to take external training courses.

OVERVIEW

69% of business owners in The Nation do not consider being faced with barriers to training. In contrast, business owners who are experiencing barriers in this respect (31%) indicate that costs, availability of on site training and incapacity to release employees from their work are the main issues.



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OPP.ACTION O8-p. 88

Are There Training Programs or Themes That May Be Useful to Business Owners or Their Employees?



YesNo

48% 52%

If so, please specify.

• Health and safety

• First aid

• Fire safety

• Agricultural training provided in Alfred (Guelph University)

• Training provided by the Canadian Construction Association

• Truck driver training (AZ and DZ)

• Client services training

• SmartServe

• New products and trends

• Training between businesses (B2B)

• Pesticides management

OVERVIEW

52% of business owners in The Nation did not mention any training programs and/or themes that may be useful. Those who responded positively (48%) did indicate, however, that it would be useful to receive training in the above-mentioned fields. Compared to the UCPR, businesses in The Nation seem to be having less difficulty determining which training programs and/or themes may be useful, which represents an opportunity for the community.

• Food products processing

• Sales regulations

• Machinery

• Biosafety

• Computer science

• Work organization

• Forklifts

• Health care

• Training on maple syrup transformation

• Marketing and social media

• Restaurant services

WORKFORCE - SWOT

STRENGTHS• 83% of jobs in The Nation are permanent. (BI8)

• The ability of employers in The Nation to retain employees and create jobs represents a strength for the community. Over the last three years, only 9% of businesses shed jobs. (WF1)

• Increased demand and clientele, market development and optimization of processes are only a few reasons why jobs were created in the community. (WF1)

• 41% of employers in The Nation rate their ability to attract new employees as "good to excellent". (WF2)

• 57% of employers in The Nation currently participate in external training programs. (WF7)

• 69% of employers in The Nation are not having any difficulties preventing them from participating in training programs. (WF8)

WEAKNESSES• The share of temporary or seasonal jobs (17%) in the Nation is 9% higher than in the UCPR. (BI8)

• Ageing of owners, instability of workforce and slowdown in the construction sector are some of the reasons why local businesses have to shed jobs. (WF1)

• 44% of employers in The Nation rate the stability of the workforce as "fair to poor". (WF2)

• Only 46% of employers in The Nation rate the community's capacity to retain new employees as "good to excellent". (WF2)

• Some employers have identified hiring challenges, such as lack of manual workers, competition with private and public sectors, exodus of workers to Ottawa and inexistant local public transportation services. (WF3)

• 33% of employers say that they have a difficult time retaining employees. Main causes are salary and the nature of seasonal work. (WF5)

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WORKFORCE - SWOT (CONT'D)

OPPORTUNITIES• 70% of employers in The Nation have nine employees or less. (BI7)

• 56% of employers in The Nation say that hiring challenges are related to the industry, not the community. (WF3)

• Employers in The Nation mostly hire their employees through recommendations, employment firms and employment websites, or personal networks. (WF4)

• 46% of employers in The Nation participate in co-op, internship or apprenticeship training programs. (WF6)

• 48% of employers in The Nation identified training programs or themes that could be useful. (WF9)

THREATS• 60% of employers in The Nation do not rate appropriately the availability of qualified workers. Of this percentage, 34% consider availability of qualified workers as "poor". (WF2)

• One out of two employers in The Nation is currently experiencing hiring difficulties. (WF3)

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INTRODUCTION CHANGE OF BUSINESS STAKEHOLDERS’ PERCEPTION OF THE COMMUNITY OVER THE LAST THREE YEARS

The NationUCPR

(BC2 – 69 responses)

More positive

perception

More negative

perception

Unchanged

% of businesses

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

54%

14%

19%

32%

54%

27%

Reasons Explaining the Change in Perception

The favourable change in perception

• New daycare at the St-Albert Cheese Factory

• Presence of the St-Albert Cheese Factory in the community

• Positive attitude of the community in general

• Demand for local products

• Recognition and support from the community

• Increased clientele and operations

• Construction sector

• Better synergy between businesses in regard to procurement

• Numerous community projects

• Growth of Limoges

• Community and municipal support for the launch of various projects

The unfavourable change in perception

• Decreased demand for products and services

• Qualified workers shortages in the construction sector

• High business costs (insurance and gas)

• Inefficient municipal bidding process. Local businesses are not being considered.

• Agricultural and dairy clienteles don't want costs for products and services to be inflated.

(BC2)

GENERAL PERCEPTION OF THE COMMUNITY AS A BUSINESS CENTRE

UCPRExcellentGoodFairPoor

22%

55%

19%

4%

UCPRThe Nation


The Nation

53%

19%

26%

1% ExcellentGoodFairPoor

OVERVIEW

79% of business owners have a good or excellent perception of The Nation Municipality as a business centre. In contrast, 20% of business owners rated their perception of the community as a business centre as “fair to poor”. Compared to the UCPR, the number of business owners who rated their perception of the community as “excellent” is 4% higher and the number of business owners who rated their perception of the community as “poor” is lower, which represents a strength for the community.

BUSINESS CLIMATE



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GOOD• Water and wastewater

facilities

• Water and sewer charges *See note 9

• Availability of appropriate power supply *See note 10

• Cost of natural gas *See note 2

• Water and wastewater facilities

• Water and sewer charges

• Availability of appropriate power supply

• Availability of natural gas *Good to excellent

• Cost of natural gas

THE NATION UCPR

FAIR• N/A • Cost of land

• Municipal property taxes

THE NATION UCPR

POOR• Municipal property

taxes *See note 3

• Internet services *See note 8

• Cost of electricity

• Availability of natural gas *See note 1

• Cost of electricity

THE NATION UCPR


REVIEW OF KEY COMMUNITY BUSINESS FACTORS

GOOD• Workforce *See note 12

• Available developed land

• Cost of land

• Offices available for lease or purchase

• Process for issuing building permits and developing land

• Fees and development charges *See note 5

• Local streets and roads *See note 4

• Regional and provincial roads and highways

• Proximity of railway and airport services

• Availability of medical and health services

• Quality of life *See note 7

• Availability of suitable housing units

• Support from the municipal administration *See note 11

• Support from other businesses

• Support from residents

• Cellphone services *See note 6

• Workforce

• Availability of developed land

• Offices available for lease or purchase

• Process for issuing building permits and developing land

• Fees and development charges

• Local streets and roads

• Regional and provincial roads and highways

• Proximity of railway and airport services

• Availability of medical and health services

• Quality of life

• Availability of suitable housing units

• Support from the mu-nicipal administration

• Support from other businesses

• Support from residents

• Cellphone services

• Internet services

THE NATION UCPR

OVERVIEW

In the last three years, 54% of business owners’ perception of the community remained the same; 14% of business owners had a negative perception of the community; and 32% of business owners had a positive perception of the community. Compared to the UCPR, 5% more business owners changed their perception in a positive way than in the entire region. Similarly, 5% less business owners say they’ve changed their perception of the community in a negative way, compared to all business owners at the regional level.


THREATACTION

T3-4-5 -p. 92

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LEVEL OF SATISFACTION FOR EACH SERVICE

Community Services

NO USE• Childcare services

• Eastern Ontario Training Board

• Hawkesbury and Region Chamber of Commerce

• Prescott-Russell Chamber of Commerce

• Clarence-Rockland Chamber of Commerce

• Vankleek Hill Business and Merchant Association

• Prescott-Russell Community Development Corporation *See note 1

• Contak Staffing Solutions

• Prescott and Russell Entrepreneurship Centre

• Prescott-Russell Tourism

• Prescott-Russell Entrepreneurial Academy


• Childcare services

• Post-secondary education


• Hawkesbury and Region Chamber of Commerce


• Clarence-Rockland Chamber of Commerce

• Vankleek Hill Business and Merchant Association

• Prescott-Russell Community Development Corporation

• Contak Staffing Solutions


• Prescott-Russell Tourism



THE NATION UCPR

GOOD• Prescott-Russell

Employment Services Centre

• Elementary and secondary schools

• Post-secondary education

• Elementary and secondary schools

• Prescott-Russell Employment Services Centre

THE NATION UCPR

(BC4 –69 responses)

Notes* :

1. Availability of natural gas: i. It would be beneficial for farmers to use natural gas;ii. No service available (St-Albert); iii. Significant demand for this service; andiv. Detrimental to business development and expansion.

2. Cost of natural gas:i. High connection cost; andii. Affordable cost of natural gas.

3. Municipal property taxes: i. Property taxes are not calculated based on the size of each town.

4. Local streets and roads: i. Businessess are now under-served due to recent changes to snow removal services.

5. Fees and development charges: i. Too expensive.

6. Cellphone services:i. No service available on concession 20; andii. Unsatisfactory service in general.

7. Quality of life: i. Regulations on unpleasant landfill odours should be put in place to minimize inconveniences.

8. Internet services:i. Inadequate and very expensive services; and ii. Older Bell lines.

9. Water and wastewater services: i. High costs.

10. Availability of appropriate power supply: i. Connection to 3-Phase power supply.

11. Municipal administration support:i. The Municipality has continuously offered its support for access to public services. Our rural location explains challenges; and

ii. The Municipality offers good services.

12. Workforce: i. Young workers don’t want to complete manual duties; andii. Qualified labourers prefer to work in Ottawa.

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3. Economic development services:i. The business community would like to be informed of the economic development efforts that are being made;

ii. It would be interesting to meet with contractors; andiii. The Municipality should promote new constructions.

4. Health services and approvals from sanitary units:i. Some employers question the need for annual visits from sanitary groups.

5. Streets and roads repair: i. Municipal roads are in bad shape, especially the 400 East.

6. Recreational facilities: i. Biking paths represent an opportunity.

7. Cultural facilities: i. Arts and cultural services should be improved.

8. Planning, engineering, zoning and building permits: i. Permits are very expensive.

INDUSTRY PERSPECTIVE OF COMMUNITY BUSINESSES

The NationUCPR

(BD1 – 69 responses)

Growth

Decline

Stability

Uncertainty

% of businesses

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

57%

7%

7%

10%

5%29%

35%

50%

Municipal Services

GOOD• Planning, engineering,

zoning and building permits *See note 8

• Health services and approvals from sanitary units *See note 4

• Police services

• Fire services

• Library services

• Recreational facilities *See note 6

• Cultural facilities *See note 7

• Parks and green spaces

• Streets and roads repair *See note 5

• Snow removal *See note 1

• Waste and recycling collection *See note 2

• Economic development services *See note 3

• Public transportation

• Planning, engineering, zoning and building permits

• Health services and approvals from sanitary units

• Police services

• Fire services

• Library services

• Recreation facilities

• Cultural facilities

• Parks and green spaces

• Streets and roads repair

• Snow removal

• Waste and recycling collection

• Economic development services


THE NATION UCPR


Notes* :

1. Snow removal: i. A recommendation was made to install fencing along corn fields to avoid snow accumulation on roads.

2. Waste and recycling collection: i. Waste collection services are not available everywhere;ii. Businesses should be allowed to throw away more than

one garbage bag at no cost; andiii. No recycling services available for businesses.

STRENGTH ACTION S16-p. 76 STRENGTH

ACTION S14-p. 76

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Reasons for Growth and Decline Prospects

Growth prospects

• Municipal growth (especially Limoges)

• Increase of new constructions in the community

• Quality of available products and services

• Quality of client services

• High demand for products and services (dairy, eggs, etc.)

• Growing industry

• Interest for local products

• Market development

• Regional expansion

• Tourism development in the region

• Young contractors looking to build their future

Decline prospects

• Profit margins becoming smaller

• Steadily increasing business costs

• Desire to quit working full-time

• Weather conditions impacting work to be done

• Old electrical infrastructure for farmers who need a power line of over 600 amps

• Cost of electricity is too high

• Less tourism attractions (biking path and Écho d'un peuple)

ANNUAL SALES

The NationUCPR


$0 to $99,999

$100,000 to $249,999

$250,000 to $499,999

$500,000 to $999,999

$1,000,000 to

$4,999,999

$5,000,000 to

$9,999,999

$10,000,000 +

Prefer not to

answer

% of businesses

An

nu

al S

ales

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

10%

10%

21%

21%

20%

16%7%

4%

12%

10%

7%

4%

11%

19%

4%

21%

Estimated Annual Sales in the Coming Year

The NationUCPR


Increase

Decrease

Unchanged

Don’t know

% of businesses

Pro

ject

ion

s

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

41%

45%

42%

45%9%

6%

4%

9%

OVERVIEW

86% of employers in The Nation are in stable or growing markets. Compared to the UCPR, businesses in The Nation seem to be in growing markets rather than stable markets. The growth of markets is primarily due to increased demand for available products and services, and growth of the community in general. In contrast, the moderate decline (7%) of these markets is mainly due to increased business costs, shortages to utilities and impacts of weather conditions on operations.



OPP.ACTION O9-p. 88

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USE OF TECHNOLOGY BY COMMUNITY BUSINESSES

The NationUCPR


Very high

High

Moderate

Low

Very low

% of businesses

Use

of

tech

no

log

y

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50%

41%

27%31%

16%

11%

34%

18%

3%

13%

6%

Are Businesses Experiencing Any Barriers to Information Technology Requirements?

The NationUCPR

(BD5 – 125 responses)No barriers

presently

Internet speed

Internet access

Internet cost

Equipment and software

support

Knowledge and training

Other

% of businesses

Bar

rier

s

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35%

22%

33%

29%

8%

18%

7%

5%

3%

25%

13%

12%

11%

10%

5%

Reasons for Growth and Decline Prospects

Growth prospects

• Increase in new constructions

• Municipality growth

• Economy growth

• Enhanced demand for available products and services

• Quality of available products and services

• Business expansion

• Business reputation in the community

• Access to new opportunities and new markets

• Planned expansion

• Hard work of employees

• 150th anniversary of Confederation

• Return to studies

Decline prospects

• Business owners want to be less involved in operations

OVERVIEW

In The Nation Municipality, 35% of businesses achieve annual sales of over 1 million dollars. It should also be noted that 21% of businesses achieve annual sales of $100,000 or less. These numbers highlight the business demography, which mainly includes very small and medium-sized businesses. Compared to the UCPR, The Nation has significantly fewer businesses that achieve annual sales of $10,000,000 or more. However, it has significantly more businesses that achieve annual sales between $5,000,000 and $9,000,000. It has 9% fewer businesses with annual sales between $100,000 and $499,000. Businesses in The Nation clearly have an outstanding performance. Furthermore, 86% of business owners estimate that sales will remain stable or increase over the next 18 months. There are, however, two times more business owners who estimate a decrease in sales compared to regional counterparts. This is due to business owners wanting to be less involved in business operations, not due to business climate, which is why these numbers are not worrisome.


OPP.ACTION O10-p. 88


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• Machine parts provider

• Technical support services provider

• Restaurants

• Specialized equipment

• Safety gear

• Heavy machinery parts

• Banking services

• Computer parts

• Records destruction services

• Training on agri-food processes

• Electricity

• Hairdressing supplies

• Pots and packaging

• Furniture

• Kids toys

• Kids clothes and shoes

• Clothing

• Organic products

• Office supplies

• Book store

• Lime

• Specialized construction materials

• High-end products

Other

• Reliability of the network in general

• Problematic cellular network

Please explain.

• Bell Canada's monopoly in rural areas

• Slowness of business computer systems

• Poor value of Internet services

• Industrial sector in St-Isidore doesn't have access to Internet services that are available in the city, which represents a significant competitive disadvantage

• Delays for having a technician come on-site in the event of a power failure

• Difficult to provide local (Prescott and Russell) technology training

BUSINESS PROCUREMENT

Products or Services That Local Businesses Would Like to Purchase Locally That Are Currently Being Purchased Outside the Region

Products and services purchased outside the community

• Drinks

• Agricultural fertilizer

• Stationary

• Transportation services

• Grocery items

• Mechanical services

OVERVIEW

In regard to the use of technology, business owners in The Nation occupy a favourable position, as 84% consider their use as “moderate to high”. Compared to the UCPR, there are slightly less business owners in The Nation who consider their use of technology as “high” and more who consider it as “low to very low”. It should be noted, however, that low speed and high cost of Internet services seem to discourage businesses from using certain technologies. 64% of businesses in The Nation have issues related to speed (33%), connection (18%) or cost (13%). Some owners have also mentioned having issues related to the poor cellular network.

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COMMUNITY ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES

What Are the Community’s Three Main Advantages According to the Business People?

AD

VA

NTA

GES

1 2 3

Excellent geographic location

Business opportunities (affordable costs, available lands and buildings, and business opportunities)

Business climate (municipal support, community support, and synergy between businesses)

(CD2)

What Are the Community’s Three Main Disadvantages According to the Business People?

DIS

AD

VA

NTA

GES

1 2 3

Public utility services (access to high-speed Internet services, natural gas and electricity, and related costs)

Workforce competition (private sector compared to federal government, and job offers in larger cities)

Lack of interest of young candidates (lack of career and business opportunities)

(CD3)

COOPERATION BETWEEN BUSINESSES

Would You Like to Cooperate with Other Businesses of the Community to Implement the Following?

The NationUCPR

(BD7 – 117 responses)Joint

purchases of products

Collective marketing

Workers’ education

Networking/Information

exchange

Not interested

Other

% of businesses

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

15%

24%

17%

20%

19%

5%21%

25%

14%

17%

19%

4%

Other

• Cluster of farm employees to offer better working conditions for seasonal workers

• Conference for women in business

• Collective workforce training

• Network of hostels, and bed and breakfasts

OVERVIEW

Business owners in The Nation are for the most part interested in cooperating with their counterparts in regard to networking/information exchange and collective marketing.




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5. Communityi. Provide paved shoulders for cyclistsii. Create a public transportation network between municipalitiesiii. Provide public transportation services to and from Ottawa and Orleans

to have better access to qualified workersiv. Ensure better collaboration in the business communityv. Eliminate odours that emanate from the dumpvi. Change people’s perception of farmers’ wealth

6. Communicationi. Improve communications for businesses and consolidate them in a central location

ii. Better promote community attractionsiii. Enhance visual displays in The Nationiv. Provide increased visibility for small businesses through an online catalogue

7. Workforcei. Ensure access to more workersii. Reduce competition between private and public sectorsiii. Find a common solution to be able to offer regular hours to farm labourersiv. Provide training for young workers

8. Tourism developmenti. Promote tourismii. Develop tourist attractions (good restaurants, art galleries, various attractions, etc.)

(CD4)

MAJOR CHANGES WITHIN THE BUSINESS COMMUNITY FORECASTED OVER THE NEXT FIVE YEARS1. Municipality and municipal services

i. Lower and stabilize the municipal tax rateii. Ensure effectiveness of all government levelsiii. Merge Casselman and The Nation Municipalityiv. Make improvements to parks and recreational facilitiesv. Better maintain roadsvi. Improve snow removal servicesvii. Remove the half-load restriction in the spring for trucks viii. Increase cooperation between the Municipality and business community

2. Business supporti. Ensure that the Municipality better supports new businessesii. Ensure that elected members better represent businessesiii. Increase the number of spaces for sale or leaseiv. Help businesses make grant applicationsv. Supervise supply management and promote investmentsvi. Create networking opportunitiesvii. Provide financial support to start-up businesses

3. Economic developmenti. Attract large businessesii. Encourage more people to move to the areaiii. Attract more businesses of all types to move to the areaiv. Launch a program for the development of businesses specializing

in the industrial sectorv. Ensure the expansion of St-Isidorevi. Promote new constructions in St-Isidorevii. Foster an entrepreneurial culture

4. Public utility services and municipal servicesi. Provide water supply services along Highway 417 to allow construction projectsii. Enhance access to water and sewer services, natural gas, electricity,

and Internet servicesiii. Make significant improvements to Internet speediv. Lower cost of electricityv. Provide good public services to all business sectorsvi. Ensure water supply services at exit 51 of Highway 417


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SUPPORT FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF OPERATIONS

MO

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• Workforce planning, training and recruitment

• Business networking workshops

• Succession planning

• Marketing and group advertising

• Enhancement of productivity

• Workshops on e-commerce, social media and online content

• Recruitment of procurement businesses and related services

LEA

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FUL

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• Marketing seminars

• Access to information

• Business plan updating

• Fairs

• Export development services and programs

(CD5 – 197 responses)

Other

• Business park on Highway 417

• Business development officer


• Website to highlight local businesses and packages

BUSINESS CLIMATE - SWOT

STRENGTHS

• 79% of business owners in The Nation have a good or excellent perception of the community as a business centre. (BC1)

• 86% of business owners in The Nation kept the same perception of the community or adopted a more positive perception over the last three years. (BC2)

• 86% of business owners in The Nation are in growing or stable markets. (BD1)

• The majority of business factors are considered to be good. (BC3)

• The majority of public services are considered to be good. (BC4)

• 35% of business owners in The Nation have annual sales of over $1,000,000. (BD2)

• 86% of these businesses estimate that sales will remain stable or increase in the next 18 months. (BD3)

• 84% of business owners in The Nation consider their use of technology as "moderate to high". (BD5)

• The three main community advantages are its excellent geographic location, favourable business opportunities and good business climate. (CD2)

............................................................................................................................................

WEAKNESSES

• 13 out of 15 community services or business services are not being utilized by businesses in the community. (BC4)

• 9% of business owners in The Nation want to reduce their operations in the next 18 months. This percentage is two times higher than in the UCPR and is due to the fact that owners want to be less involved in business operations. (BD3)

• The three main community disadvantages are access to public utility services, workforce competition and lack of interest of young workers in the community. (CD2)


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BUSINESS CLIMATE - SWOT (CONT'D)

OPPORTUNITIES

• 21% of business owners in The Nation achieve annual sales of $100,000 or less. (BD2)

• Business owners in The Nation could increase their use of available technologies. (BD5)

• The majority of business owners in The Nation would be willing to cooperate with their counterparts in regard to networking/information exchange and collective marketing. (BD7)

• Business owners in The Nation would like to see changes to public services, the community, support measures for businesses, support for economic development, communication, municipal services, and tourism and workforce development. (CD4)

• Business owners would like to receive support for workforce planning, employee training and attraction, business networking sessions and succession planning. (CD5)

THREATS

• The municipal tax rate was rated as "poor". (BC3)

• Cost of electricity was rated as "poor". (BC3)

• Availability of natural gas was rated as "poor". (BC3)

• 64% of business owners in The Nation identified issues with speed (33%), connection (18%) or cost (13%) of Internet services. (DB5)

04 FUTUREPROJECTS

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EXPANSION

Main Reasons Prompting Businesses to Expand Their Operations

Main reasons for potential expansion within the community are as follows:

• Increase of new constructions;

• Need for more space to conduct daily operations;

• Succession planning;

• Customer growth;

• Enhanced demand for products and services;

• Increase in sales and revenue levels;

• Growth in complementary products and services available;

• Tourism sector development;

• Increased use of e-commerce; and

• Increased competition.

(FP11)

FUTURE BUSINESS PLANS

What Do Businesses Plan on Doing Over the Next 18 Months?

UCPR

Hawkesbury

(FP1-A – 76 responses) RelocateSell

Close

No changeExpand

Downsize

% of businesses

The Nation

5 %

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%

54% 32%

4%

4%

3%

4%3%

4%3%

7%

49% 34%

What Are the Main Reasons Why Businesses Are Not Planning to Make Any Changes?

• Business has a good performance

• Business has reached its full potential

• Difficult to obtain support for expansion

• Market stability

• Business has recently expanded

• Economy stability

• Business is not busy enough for expansion

• Slow population growth

• Owner is looking to pursue studies

• Insufficient number of agricultural lands to support business expansion

(FP1-B)

PROJETS D’AVENIR OVERVIEW

Over the next 18 months, 49% of businesses in The Nation do not expect to make any changes to the size of their operations, whereas 34% of businesses would like to expand. Only 18% of businesses are thinking of moving (4%), reducing operations (4%), selling (3%) or closing (7%). Compared to the UCPR, the percentage of businesses that anticipate no change is 5% higher in The Nation. Similarly, 2% more businesses in The Nation want to expand their operations. Though the majority of factors explaining this difference are positive, it is important to consider slow growth of population, lack of traffic for certain businesses, and low number of available agricultural lands to support expansion.

FUTURE PROJECTS STRENGTH ACTION S21-p. 78

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Intention to Request Support from Federal or Provincial Programs and/or Services to Facilitate Expansion Plans

(FP13 – 26 responses)

The Nation UCPR

YesNo

42%58%58%42%

Support programs and/or services are listed below:

• Federal grant in support for dairy farms;

• Support from the Prescott and Russell Entrepreneurship Centre;

• Support from the UCPR;

• National Research Council of Canada;

• Ontario Ministry of Research, Innovation and Science;

• Ontario Centre of Excellence; and

• Going forward 3.

Impacts of Anticipated Expansion Projects Over the Next 18 Months


The NationUCPR

Increase of workforce

Reduction of workforce

Enhancement of employee

training needs

Increasedfloor area

Additional products and

lines of products

Complementary client services

Process improvements

Other

% of businesses

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25%

23%

18%

9%

10%

19%

17%

1%

23%

16%

17%

17%

12%

12%

2%

3%

0%

THE NATION UCPRWorkforce increase in total 39 jobs 583 jobs

Workforce increase in average 2.6 jobs 5 jobs

Increase of floor area in total 51 302 sq. ft. 1,2 M sq. ft.

Increase of floor area in average 5 130 sq. ft. 22,006 sq. ft.

Other anticipated impacts:

• Access to new technologies

OVERVIEW

Over the next 18 months, business owners in the community who want to expand their operations anticipate creating 2.6 jobs on average per expansion project. Similarly, owners are planning on increasing their floor space by 5,130 sq. ft. on average. They expect to need to hire staff, add floor space, provide more training to employees and strengthen processes. Compared to the UCPR, results are similar, except for the capacity of expansion projects to expand floor space, which is 7% higher in The Nation. In contrast, compared to the UCPR, these anticipated expansion projects are much less likely to expand complementary products and services for businesses in The Nation.

STRENGTH ACTION

S22-23 -p. 78


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Are Community Businesses Having Issues with Their Expansion Projects?


The Nation64%

36%UCPR

YesNo

69%31%

What Expansion Issues Are Businesses Having?

• Poor access to power grid

• Inadequate Internet services

• Difficulty recruiting and retaining employees

• Difficulty obtaining a liquor licence

• Not many vacant spaces for lease or for sale

• Few commercial and agricultural lands available

Interest in Receiving Information on Federal and Provincial Programs and/or Services in Support of Expansion Projects


The Nation UCPR

YesNo

15%85%19%81%

OVERVIEW

42% of business owners in The Nation who are looking to expand intend on requesting support through federal or provincial programs and/or services for project. Compared to the UCPR, this percentage is 16% lower.

OVERVIEW

81% of business owners in The Nation who are looking to expand would like to receive information on federal and provincial programs and services offered in support of expansion projects. This percentage is similar to those collected through business owners in other Prescott and Russell communities.

OVERVIEW

Currently, 69% of business owners in The Nation who are looking to expand have no issues planning their expansion projects. In contrast, 31% say that they are experiencing issues in regard to planning due to difficult access to public services, recruitment and retention of workers and poor availability of spaces and lands for expansion. Compared to the UCPR, The Nation is in a favorable position as it has 5% fewer businesses currently experiencing expansion issues.




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SALE

Reasons for the Sale of Businesses in the Community


The NationUCPR

Retirement

Insu�cient profits

Workload

Competition

Personal reasons

New challenges

Other

% of businesses

0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40%

40%

40%

20%

0%

0%

31%

14%

12%

10%

7%

14%

0%

0%

12%

Can the Community Help in Any Way with Anticipated Expansion Projects?


The Nation UCPR47%

53%

YesNo

52%48%

What Can the Community Do to Help?

• Better support developing projects in the community

• Continue to buy locally

• Improve public services (natural gas and electricity)

• Enhance competition to avoid the exodus of workers to Ottawa

• Organize activities in the community

• Develop more commercial lands along Highway 417

• Create partnerships to lease unused spaces by businesses

• Provide the business community with tools to facilitate expansion

DECREASE OF OPERATIONS

Main Reasons for Decreasing Business Operations• Challenges in regard to workforce

• Difficulty to obtain financing through financial institutions

• Business costs are constantly on the rise

• Desire to retire or semi-retire

(FP2)

OVERVIEW

48% of business owners in The Nation who are looking to expand indicate that community support would facilitate their expansion. The community can help by better supporting local businesses, improving natural gas and power utilities, limiting the exodus of workers to Ottawa and developing more commercial lands along Highway 417.

OVERVIEW

For businesses that are expecting to reduce operations, this will mainly impact client services. Workforce and financing challenges, high business costs and owners’ desire to retire explain why community businesses are thinking of reducing operations. In The Nation, the reduction of operations should not create layoffs.



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Do Business Owners Have a Succession Plan?


The Nation UCPR

YesNo

73%27%

100%

0%

Would Business Owners Like to Receive Help in Drafting a Succession Plan?

(FP9-A– 2 responses)

The Nation UCPR

YesNo

73%27%

100%

0%

OVERVIEW

80% of business owners in The Nation who are thinking of closing their business would not reopen elsewhere mainly because of workforce and financing challenges, and the retirement of owners who have no succession plan in place. Compared to the UCPR, the number of business closings is two times higher in The Nation, which represents a threat to the community.

OVERVIEW

40% of business sales in the community are created by the retirement of owners. It should be noted that all owners who have sold their business did not have a succession plan and none of them wanted to receive information in this regard. Compared to the UCPR, statistics on retirement as the main reason for business sales are 9% higher in The Nation. Owners who are looking to sell say that competition (40%) and lack of profits (20%) are the main causes. These numbers are not worrisome, however, as only a small percentage of business owners are looking to sell.

CLOSURE

Do Business Owners Plan on Closing Their Business Entirely?


The Nation UCPR

YesNo

20%80% 20%80%

Main Reasons Prompting Businesses to Shut Down All Operations

• Difficult to hire skilled workers

• Owners are thinking of retiring

• Difficult to get a bank loan

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STRENGTHS• In the next 18 months, 34% of business owners in The Nation are thinking of expanding. (FP1)

• In the next 18 months, business owners in the community who are looking to expand plan on creating 2.6 jobs and on increasing their floor space by 5,130 sq. ft. per expansion project. (FP12)

• Planned expansion projects will lead to staffing, increased floor space, enhanced training requirements and optimized processes. (FP12)

• 69% of business owners in The Nation are not currently experiencing any difficulty planning their expansion project. (FP15)

WEAKNESSES• Slow population growth, lack of traffic in certain businesses and poor availability of agricultural lands to support business expansion explain why 49% of business owners in The Nation are not looking to expand their operations in the next 18 months. (FP1)

• Business owners who are having difficulties planning their expansion project (31%) say that difficult access to public services, employee recruitment and retention, and poor availability of spaces and lands to support their expansion are the main challenges. (FP15)

OPPORTUNITIES• 42% of business owners in The Nation intend on using federal and/or provincial programs and services in support of their expansion project. This percentage is 16% lower than regional results. (FP13)

• 81% of business owners in The Nation would like to receive information on federal and/or provincial programs and services in support of their expansion project. (FP14)

• The community can help expanding businesses by better supporting local businesses, improving natural gas and power supply services, limiting the exodus of local workers to Ottawa, and further developing commercial lands near Highway 417. (FP16)

THREATS• The number of businesses, though there are very few, that are thinking of closing is two times higher in The Nation (7%) than in all municipalities in the UCPR. (FP1)

• The majority of business owners in The Nation who are looking to sell do not have a succession plan, and none of them want to receive information in this regard. (FP9)

FUTURE PLANS - SWOT

05 MAJOR FINDINGS and CONCLUSIONS

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ACTION PLAN06

MAJOR FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

In many cases, the re-establishment of The Nation's Economic Development Corporation, which is mainly comprised of entrepreneurs and employees from the Economic Development Department, would be a good way to create a mentorship program for young entrepreneurs and an ambassador program (i.e. Cornwall team), and to develop lobbying strategies for the improvement of public utility services (Internet, gas, electricity, etc.).

The majority of business owners in the community are native to the region and conduct operations locally and regionally. "People from our community doing business for our community."

The community creates and promotes stability in local and regional markets. Prosperity and success are buzzwords in the community.

The Nation Municipality fosters and supports excellent relationships with entrepreneurs, and assesses all requests for various services and possibilities in support of their expansion. Our goal is to facilitate the development and expansion of businesses in the community.

Business owners in The Nation use available technologies. "Well-connected businesses."

Challenges include the improvement of public utility services, natural gas and power supply services, and Internet services.

We must work to create mentorship programs and support measures for succession planning.

Post on The Nation's website links to support agencies for business people and newcomers. This information could help promote available grants and funds, trainings, guides, etc. We need to better inform businesses in regard to available support measures through all levels of government (municipal, regional, provincial and federal).

Promote services for businesses on our website (designated section for entrepreneurs) and our Facebook page by creating a guide for entrepreneurs containing all important information. Highlight municipal procedures for well-planned development.

Promote investment sites on the Municipality website and in the entire region.

The Municipality is working to find solutions in regard to the property tax rate. The launch of support programs for business development could be a favourable option.

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SWOT Actions Authorities Partners Priority* 1 to 3

Deadline

S1. 91% of business owners in The Nation participate in daily operations. (BI2)

• As the vast majority of businesses in the community have been created by local people, our actions in regard to economic development need to focus mainly on support for local businesses and entrepreneurial potential.

• Promote entrepreneurship and ensure installation of the Prescott and Russell Entrepreneurship Center's interactive kiosk in both municipal offices (Casselman and Fournier).

• Designate mentors amongst entrepreneurs to encourage and support young entrepreneurs.

• Promote, in our profile, The Nation as a fertile region for entrepreneurs.

• Encourage local businesses to inform us of their successes and share these on our website and social media (business anniversary, awards/recognition, business videos highlighting accomplishments and successes, etc.).

• The Nation demonstrates that it values its businesses through recognition initiatives (certificates signed by the mayor to celebrate business anniversaries (to be posted on their wall)).

• Obtain testimonies from local entrepreneurs (their perception of our community, etc.).

• Economic Development Corporation

• Marketing and communications officer

• Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (Rural Economic Development Program – RED)


• Prescott and Russell Economic Development and Tourism Department

• Local entrepreneurs


Note: user-fee services


• Prescott-Russell Community Development Corporation (Gala Excellence)

• Local producers and businesses

• Union des cultivateurs franco-ontariens

2 • May 2019

S2. 86 % of business owners live in the community. (BI3)

S3. 68% of businesses in the com-munity have been established for more than 11 years, and numerous businesses have been established for 26 to 35 years. (BI5)

S4. 87% of business owners own their facilities. (BD8)

S5. 13% of business owners lease their facility. They will all need to renew their term in over two years, and none of them expect to experience any difficulties in this regard. (BD8)

STRENGTHS

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Deadline

S6. 83% of jobs in The Nation are permanent. (BI8)

• To be included in the community profile and business profile, skills of local workforce, bilingualism of local workforce, etc.

• Obtain testimonies from local business heads (create videos) on regional market development.


• Local entrepreneurs 2• May 2019

• September 2019

S7. Employers’ ability in The Nation to keep and create jobs represents a strength for the community. In the last three years, only 9% of businesses shed jobs. (WF1)

S8. Enhanced demand and clientele, development of markets and opti-mization of processes are only a few reasons why jobs are created in the community. (WF1)

S9. 41% of employers in The Nation rate their ability to attract new em-ployees as “good to excellent”. (WF2)

S10. 57% of employers in The Nation are currently using external training. (WF7)

• Create a web page on our website on workforce training available in each sector.


• Société économique de l’Ontario



3 • December 2019S11. 69% of employers in The Nation

are not experiencing any barriers in regard to training. (WF8)

STRENGTHS(CONT'D)

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Deadline

S12. 79% of employers in The Nation have a good or excellent perception of the community as a business centre. (BC1)

• To be included in our profile and testimonies for business people in The Nation.

• Continue to maintain good relationships with regional business people.

• Promote and truly implement our motto on economic development (“Economic Development in The Nation Municipality… We make it easy for you”) and ensure that it is highlighted in our policies and city council’s decisions.

• Economic Development Department


• City council

• The Nation Business Community 2 • June 2019

S13. 86% of employers in The Nation maintained their perception or gained a better perception of the community in the last three years. (BC2)

S14. 86% of businesses in The Nation are in a stable or growing market. (BD1)

S15. The majority of business factors are considered to be good. (BC3)

S16. All public services are considered to be good. (BC4)

STRENGTHS(CONT'D)

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Deadline

S17. 35% of businesses in The Nation achieve annual sales over $1,000,000. (BD2)

• Highlight the region’s economic strengths in our profile.

• Ensure that promotion efforts on our economic strength targets not only outside populations but also and especially our citizens.

• Focus on the words “success” and “prosperity” in our community profile.

• Focus on the fact that our businesses are well connected. The majority of business owners in the community used available technologies.

• Promote available lands and spaces in The Nation through our commu-nity profile (to be drafted).



2 • September 2019

S18. 86% of businesses in The Nation expect sales to remain stable or increase in the next 18 months. (BD3)

S19. 84% of employers in The Nation consider their use of technology as “moderate to high”. (BD5)

S20. The three main advantages of the community are its excellent geographic location, favourable business opportunities, and good business climate. (CD2)

S21. In the next 18 months, one third of business owners in The Nation are looking to expand. (FP1)

S22. In the next 18 months, businesses in the community that are looking to expand plan on creating, on average, 2.6 jobs per expansion project and increasing their floor space by 5,130 sq. ft. (FP12)

S23. Planned expansion projects will lead to staffing, increased floor space, enhanced training requirements and optimized processes. (FP12)

STRENGTHS(CONT'D)

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Deadline

S24. 69% of business owners in The Nation are not currently experiencing any difficulty planning their expansion project. (FP15) • Increased support from

the Economic Development Department through business expansion projects.

• Promote available services in the region in regard to business expansion.







2 • May 2019

STRENGTHS(CONT'D)

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Deadline

W1. Few businesses have been established for one to three years and more than 35 years, which could mean challenges for start-up companies and in regard to succession planning. (BI5)

• Promote available resources for succession planning and mentorship opportunities for young entrepreneurs who are starting their own business.

• Reestablish an Economic Development Corporation to manage a mentorship, succession planning, expansion and/or business planning program.

• Economic Development Committee

• City council





2• September

2019

• June 2019

W2. 17% of jobs in The Nation are temporary and/or seasonal, which is 9% higher than regional results. (BI8) • Facilitate access to seasonal workers.

• Draft a list of contact persons of employment firms.




• The Harvesters (Groupe Convex)

3 • September 2019

W3. 44% of employers in The Nation consider workforce stability to be unsatisfactory. (WF2)

• Evaluate ways to retain young workers and further promote inclusion in our communities.

• Obtain testimonies of young entrepreneurs and mentorship program leads.

• Develop community transportation services in the UCPR.



• Prescott and Russell Economic Development and Tourism Department

3 • December 2019

W4. Only 46% of employers in The Nation rate the ability of the community to retain new employees as “good to excellent”. (WF2)

W5. Certain employers have raised challenges in regard to staffing, such as the lack of skilled manual workers, competition with private and public sectors, exodus of local workers to Ottawa and unavailability of local public transportation services. (WF3)

WEAKNESSES

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Deadline

W6. 33% of employers in the community say that they are having a difficult time retaining employees due to salary and seasonal job requirements. (WF5)

• Further capitalize on manual work and the satisfaction that we can take out of it, through videos.




3 • December 2019

W7. The three main challenges faced by employers of the community are: access to public utility services, workforce competition, and lack of interest of young workers for the community. (CD2)

• Develop a lobbying strategy with partners to improve public utility services (gas, Internet, hydro, etc.).

• Create a “Nation Team – politicians and entrepreneurs”.

• Increased participation of entrepreneurs in lobbying activities for public utility services.

• City council




• Business heads in the region

1 • March 2019

W8. Business owners who are experiencing expansion challenges (31%) say that these are related to difficult access to public utility services, workforce recruitment and retention, and poor availability of vacant spaces and lands to support their expansion. (FP15)

W9. Workforce and financing challenges, increased business costs and owners’ desire to retire explain why 4% of business owners in the community are thinking of reducing their operations. (FP3)

WEAKNESSES(CONT'D)

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Deadline

O1. More diversity in business properties and operations in The Nation would be beneficial. (BI1)

• Use and analyze the procurement list of businesses to determine the type of businesses we want to attract.

• Create an inventory of support services for businesses and a short description of services provided (including financing), and post links on our website.

• Provide workshops on business succession.

• Draft a community profile.

• Identify shortages in certain trades that impact local businesses.








3 • December 2019

O2. 89% of businesses in The Nation conduct the majority of their operations at the regional level (46%) or local level (43%). Businesses in the community would benefit from increased diversification of their operations on national and international markets. (BI9)

O3. 63% of entrepreneurs will need to begin succession planning shortly. (BI6)

O4. 70% of businesses have nine employees or less. (BI7)

O5. 56% of employers say that recruitment difficulties are related to the industry, not the community. (WF3)

O6. Employers in The Nation hire most of their employees through recommendations, employment firms and/or websites, or personal networks. (WF4)

OPP.

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Deadline

O7. 46% of employers in The Nation use co-op, internship or apprenticeship programs. (WF6)

• Promote co-op, internship and apprenticeship programs as resources for employers.


• School boards

• Eastern Ontario Training Board 3 • December

2019O8. 48% of employers in The Nation have suggested training programs and/or themes that could be helpful. (WF9)

O9. 21% of employers in The Nation achieve annual sales of $100,000 or less. (BD2)

• To be promoted in our community profile.



• Prescott and Russell Entrepreneurship Centre 3 • December

2019O10. Employers in The Nation could increase their use of available technologies. (BD5)

• Provide a seminar on technology networks.

O11. The majority of employers in The Nation are willing to cooperate with their counterparts in regard to networking/exchange of information, and collective marketing. (BD7)

• Make a presentation to The Nation’s Economic Development Corporation in a timely manner.

• Designate a contact person in The Nation

• Prescott-Russell Chamber of Commerce 3 • December

2019

O12. Employers in The Nation would like to see changes to public utility services, the community, support measures for businesses, economic development, communication, municipal services, tourism development, and workforce. (CD4)

• Add a separate section for entrepre-neurs on the Municipality website.


• Local entrepreneurs 3 • December 2019

OPP.(CONT'D)

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Deadline

O13. Employers would like to receive support in the regard to workforce planning and retention, networking, and succession planning. (CD5)

• Include links to federal and provincial programs and services on our website.

• Marketing and communications officer 2 • September

2019

O14. 42% of employers in The Nation intend on using federal and/or provincial programs and services in support of their expansion project. This percentage is 16% lower than regional results. (FP13)


O15. 81% of business owners in The Nation would like to receive information on federal and/or provincial programs and services in support of their expansion project. (FP14)


• Create a newsletter intended for entrepreneurs in The Nation.

O16. The community can help businesses expand their operations by better supporting local businesses, by improving natural gas and power supply services, by limiting the exodus of local workers to Ottawa and by developing more commercial lands near Highway 417. (FP16)

• Conduct an official analysis to identify potential for development along Highway 417 (St-Isidore and Limoges).


• City council 1• September

2018

• February 2019

OPP.(CONT'D)

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Deadline

T1. Only one out of two business owners in The Nation has a business plan. (BI4)

• Make a link with these services.

• Include links to examples and business plan models on our website. Post a list of support agencies.

• Highlight the importance of having a business plan.








3 • December 2019

T2. One out of two businesses in The Nation is currently experiencing hiring difficulties. (WF3)

• Continue to work with employment centres.


• Prescott-Russell Employment Services Centre 2 • May 2019

T3. The municipal tax rate was rated as “poor”. (BC3)

• By creating commercial or industrial projects, it will be possible for the Municipality to stabilize its tax rate.

• Suggest measures to improve com-petition in regard to development.

• City council 1 • February 2019

T4. Cost of electricity was rated as “poor”. (BC3)

• Enhance lobbying activities with other municipalities and entrepreneurs.


• City council

• Prescott and Russell Economic Development and Tourism

• Mayors from local municipalities


1 • June 2019

T5. Availability of natural gas was rated as “poor”. (BC3)

T6. 64% of employers in The Nation say that they are having difficulties in regard to speed (33%), connection (18%) or cost (13%) of Internet services (BD5)

*Priority levels: 1 – Urgent, 2 – Prioritized, 3 – Less prioritized.

THREATS

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NOTES (CONT'D)NOTES

www.OPRO.ca ECONOMICDEVELOPMENTAND TOURISM

Building tomorrow’s

businesses

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