Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, second quarter of 2023

Business or organization information

1. Which of the following categories best describes this business or organization?

  • Government agency
  • Private sector business
  • Non-profit organization
    • Who does this organization primarily serve?
      • Households or individuals
        e.g., child and youth services, community food services, food bank, women's shelter, community housing services, emergency relief services, religious organization, grant and giving services, social advocacy group, arts and recreation group
      • Businesses
        e.g., business association, chamber of commerce, condominium association, environmental support or protection services, group benefit carriers (pensions, health, medical)
  • Don't know

Business or organization information

2. In what year was this business or organization first established?

Please provide the year this business or organization first began operations.

Year business or organization was first established:

OR

Don't know

3. Over the last 12 months, which of the following international activities did this business or organization conduct?

Select all that apply.

  • Export or sell goods outside of Canada
    Include both intermediate and final goods.
  • Export or sell services outside of Canada
    Include services delivered virtually and in person.
    e.g., software, cloud services, legal services, environmental services, architectural services, digital advertising
  • Make investments outside of Canada
  • Sell goods to businesses or organizations in Canada who then resold them outside of Canada
  • Import or buy goods from outside of Canada
    Include both intermediate and final goods.
  • Import or buy services from outside of Canada
    Include services received virtually and in person.
    e.g., software, cloud services, legal services, environmental services, architectural services, digital advertising
  • Relocate any business or organizational activities or employees from another country into Canada
    Exclude temporary foreign workers.
  • Relocate any business or organizational activities or employees from Canada to another country
  • Engage in other international business or organizational activities
    OR
  • None of the above

4. Over the next three months, how are each of the following expected to change for this business or organization?

Exclude seasonal factors or conditions.

  • Number of employees
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Vacant positions
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Sales of goods and services offered by this business or organization
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Selling price of goods and services offered by this business or organization
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Demand for goods and services offered by this business or organization
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Imports
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Exports
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Operating income
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Operating expenses
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Profitability
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Cash reserves
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Capital expenditures
    e.g., machinery, equipment
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Training expenditures
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Marketing and advertising budget
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know
  • Expenditures in research and development
    • Increase
    • Stay about the same
    • Decrease
    • Not applicable
    • Don't know

Business or organization obstacles

5. Over the next three months, which of the following are expected to be obstacles for this business or organization?

Select all that apply.

  • Shortage of labour force
  • Recruiting skilled employees
  • Retaining skilled employees
  • Shortage of space or equipment
  • Rising cost of inputs
    An input is an economic resource used in a firm's production process.
    e.g., labour, capital, energy and raw materials
  • Rising costs in real estate, leasing or property taxes
  • Rising inflation
  • Rising interest rates and debt costs
    e.g., borrowing fees, interest payments
  • Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada
  • Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from abroad
  • Maintaining inventory levels
  • Insufficient demand for goods or services offered
  • Fluctuations in consumer demand
  • Attracting new or returning customers
  • Cost of insurance
  • Transportation costs
  • Obtaining financing
  • Increasing competition
  • Challenges related to exporting or selling goods and services outside of Canada
  • Maintaining sufficient cash flow or managing debt
  • Other obstacle
    • Specify other obstacle:
    OR
  • None of the above

Flow condition: If at least 2 obstacles are selected in Q5, go to Q6. Otherwise, go to Q7.

Display condition: Display in Q6 the obstacles selected in Q5.

6. Of the obstacles selected in the previous question, please indicate this business' or organization's most challenging obstacle expected over the next three months.

  • Shortage of labour force
  • Recruiting skilled employees
  • Retaining skilled employees
  • Shortage of space or equipment
  • Rising cost of inputs
    An input is an economic resource used in a firm's production process.
    e.g., labour, capital, energy and raw materials
  • Rising costs in real estate, leasing or property taxes
  • Rising inflation
  • Rising interest rates and debt costs
    e.g., borrowing fees, interest payments
  • Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada
  • Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from abroad
  • Maintaining inventory levels
  • Insufficient demand for goods or services offered
  • Fluctuations in consumer demand
  • Attracting new or returning customers
  • Cost of insurance
  • Transportation costs
  • Obtaining financing
  • Increasing competition
  • Challenges related to exporting or selling goods and services outside of Canada
  • Maintaining sufficient cash flow or managing debt
  • Specify other obstacle

Flow condition: If "Shortage of labour force", "Recruiting skilled employees", or "Retaining skilled employees" is selected in Q5, go to Q7. Otherwise, go to Q8.

Labour challenges

7. Over the next three months, what are the expected impacts of labour-related obstacles for this business or organization?

Select all that apply.

  • Management working increased hours
  • Existing staff working increased hours
  • Limitation on the business' or organization's growth
  • Delays in providing goods and services to customers
  • Reduce goods and services offered by this business or organization
  • Hire less suitable candidates
  • Other impact
    • Specify other impact:
    OR
  • Don't know
    OR
  • None of the above

Flow condition: If "Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada", "Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from abroad", or "Maintaining inventory levels" is selected in Q5, go to Q8. Otherwise, go to Q13.

Supply chain challenges

8. How long does this business or organization expect the following to continue to be an obstacle?

  • Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada
    • Less than 3 months
    • 3 months to less than 6 months
    • 6 months to less than 12 months
    • 12 months or more
    • Don't know
  • Difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from abroad
    • Less than 3 months
    • 3 months to less than 6 months
    • 6 months to less than 12 months
    • 12 months or more
    • Don't know
  • Maintaining inventory levels
    • Less than 3 months
    • 3 months to less than 6 months
    • 6 months to less than 12 months
    • 12 months or more
    • Don't know

9. Over the last three months, how have supply chain challenges experienced by this business or organization changed?

Supply chain challenges include difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada or abroad and difficulty maintaining inventory levels.

Exclude seasonal factors or conditions.

  • Supply chain challenges have worsened
    • Which of the following factors have contributed to these challenges?
      Select all that apply.
      • Increased prices of inputs, products or supplies
      • Increased delays in deliveries of inputs, products or supplies
      • Supply shortages resulted in fewer inputs, products or supplies being available
      • Supply shortages resulted in no inputs, products or supplies available
      • Other factor
        • Specify other factor:
        OR
      • Don't know
  • Supply chain challenges have remained about the same
  • Supply chain challenges have improved

10. Over the next three months, how does this business or organization expect supply chain challenges to change?

Supply chain challenges include difficulty acquiring inputs, products or supplies from within Canada or abroad and difficulty maintaining inventory levels.

Exclude seasonal factors or conditions.

  • Supply chain challenges are expected to worsen
  • Supply chain challenges are expected to remain about the same
  • Supply chain challenges are expected to improve

Supply chain

11. Over the next 12 months, does this business or organization plan to make any of the following adjustments to its supply chain?

Select all that apply.

  • Relocate supply chain activities to Canada
  • Relocate supply chain activities outside of Canada
  • Substitute inputs, products or supplies with alternate inputs, products or supplies
  • Shift to local suppliers
  • Partner with new suppliers
  • Work with suppliers to improve timeliness
  • Implement technological improvements
  • Invest in research and development projects to identify alternate inputs, products, supplies, or production processes
  • Other adjustment
    • Specify other adjustment:
    OR
  • Don't know
    OR
  • None of the above

Flow condition: If "Maintaining inventory levels" is selected in Q5, go to Q12. Otherwise, go to Q13.

12. Over the next three months, in response to an expected difficulty maintaining inventory levels, which of the following does this business or organization plan to do?

Select all that apply.

  • Raise selling prices for goods and services offered
  • Accept backorders for goods or delay date of services
  • Stop taking sales orders
  • Increase promotion for alternative goods with greater availability
  • Find alternate inputs
  • Change some or all goods and services offered
  • Improve or speed up production process
  • Improve inventory tracking to plan timing of purchases
  • Hold higher-than-usual level of inventories as a precaution against future shortages
  • Other plan
    • Specify other plan:
    OR
  • Don't know
    OR
  • None of the above

Flow condition: If the business or organization is a private sector business or non-profit organization, go to Q13. Otherwise, go to Q14.

Display condition: If the business or organization is a non-profit organization, do not display "Transfer the business" or "Sell the business".

Expectations for the next year

13. Over the next 12 months, does this business or organization plan to do any of the following?

Select all that apply.

  • Expand current location of this business or organization
  • Expand operations of this business or organization internationally
  • Expand operations of this business or organization into a new province or territory within Canada
  • Move operations of this business or organization to another province or territory within Canada entirely
  • Expand this business or organization to other locations within the same province or territory
  • Expand this business or organization without increasing physical space
    i.e., hiring more staff who will work remotely
  • Restructure this business or organization
    Restructuring involves changing the financial, operational, legal or other structures of the business or organization to make it more efficient or more profitable.
  • Acquire other businesses, organizations or franchises
  • Invest in other businesses or organizations
  • Merge with other businesses or organizations
  • Scale down operations of this business or organization to within a single province or territory within Canada
  • Transfer the business
  • Sell the business
    OR
  • Close the business or organization
    OR
  • Don't know
    OR
  • None of the above

Competitiveness of Canadian firms in international markets

14. In the last 12 months, to which of the following markets outside Canada did this business or organization export or sell goods or services?

Select all that apply.

  • United States
  • Europe
    Include the United Kingdom.
  • China
  • Other market outside of Canada
    OR
  • Don't know
    OR
  • This business or organization did not sell goods or services to markets outside of Canada

Flow condition: If "United States" is selected in Q14, go to Q15. Otherwise, go to Q17.

15. When exporting or selling this business' or organization's goods or services in the United States, what would be the primary competition for this business' or organization's products?

  • Businesses in Canada
  • Businesses in the United States
  • Businesses in Europe
  • Businesses in China
  • Businesses from other advanced markets
    e.g., Japan, Australia
  • Businesses from other developing or emerging markets
    e.g., India, Brazil
  • This business or organization has a unique offering and there is little to no direct competition for its products
  • Don't know

16. What would this business or organization describe as its most important competitive strength when exporting to or selling in the United States?

  • Cost advantage
  • Canada's free trade agreement with the United States
  • Value of Canadian dollar
  • Quality of products or services
  • Quality of Canadian workforce
  • Market leading innovation or intellectual property
  • Recognition as being a Canadian company
  • Solid understanding of market in the United States
  • Other strength
    • Specify other strength:
  • Don't know

Flow condition: If "Europe" is selected in Q14, go to Q17. Otherwise, go to Q19.

17. When exporting or selling this business' or organization's goods or services in Europe, what would be the primary competition for this business' or organization's products?

  • Businesses in Canada
  • Businesses in the United States
  • Businesses in Europe
  • Businesses in China
  • Businesses from other advanced markets
    e.g., Japan, Australia
  • Businesses from other developing or emerging markets
    e.g., India, Brazil
  • This business or organization has a unique offering and there is little to no direct competition for its products
  • Don't know

18. What would this business or organization describe as its most important competitive strength when exporting to or selling in Europe?

  • Cost advantage
  • Canada's free trade agreement with the European Union
  • Canada's free trade agreement with the United Kingdom
  • Value of Canadian dollar
  • Quality of products or services
  • Quality of Canadian workforce
  • Market leading innovation or intellectual property
  • Recognition as being a Canadian company
  • Solid understanding of the market in Europe
  • Other strength
    • Specify other strength:
  • Don't know

Flow condition: If "China" is selected in Q14, go to Q19. Otherwise, go to Q21.

19. When exporting or selling this business' or organization's goods or services in China, what would be the primary competition for this business' or organization's products?

  • Businesses in Canada
  • Businesses in the United States
  • Businesses in Europe
  • Businesses in China
  • Businesses from other advanced markets
    e.g., Japan, Australia
  • Businesses from other developing or emerging markets
    e.g., India, Brazil
  • This business or organization has a unique offering and there is little to no direct competition for its products
  • Don't know

20. What would this business or organization describe as its most important competitive strength when exporting to or selling in China?

  • Cost advantage
  • Value of Canadian dollar
  • Quality of products or services
  • Quality of Canadian workforce
  • Market leading innovation or intellectual property
  • Recognition as being a Canadian company
  • Solid understanding of the market in China
  • Other strength
    • Specify other strength:
  • Don't know

Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)

21. In the last 12 months, did this business or organization hire workers from another country through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)?

The business or organization may have required a Labour Market Impact Assessment (LMIA).

  • Yes
  • No
  • Don't know

Recruitment, retention and training

22. Does this business or organization currently do or plan to do any of the following over the next 12 months?

Select all that apply.

  • Increase wages offered to new employees
  • Increase wages offered to existing employees
  • Increase benefits offered to new employees
  • Increase benefits offered to existing employees
  • Hire through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP)
  • Hire seniors or retirees
  • Hire employees internationally to work in Canada
    Exclude employees hired through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program (TFWP).
  • Hire employees internationally who will work remotely
  • Outsource any tasks, projects or short contracts to freelancers, "gig" workers or other businesses or organizations
    Examples of tasks, projects or short contracts might include delivery driving, cleaning, translation, and web or graphic design.
  • Reduce qualification requirements to fill vacant positions
  • Offer signing bonuses or incentives to new employees
  • Offer option to work at least some hours remotely
  • Offer flexible scheduling
  • Apply for learning and development programs provided by governments in order to upskill or reskill current employees
  • Work with education and training institutions to offer work-integrated learning programs such as co-ops, internships, and apprenticeships
  • Provide tuition support to employees to take courses or programs
  • Provide employees with paid time to engage in learning and development programs
  • Provide training to employees to take other positions within this business or organization
  • Encourage employees to participate in on-the-job training
  • Encourage employees to acquire micro-credentials which help individuals develop job-related competencies
    Micro-credentials are short, concentrated groups of courses that are based on industry needs. They are generally offered in shorter or more flexible timespans and tend to be more narrowly focused in comparison with traditional degrees and certificates. Some micro-credentials may be stackable and can be combined to form a part of a larger credential.
    OR
  • None of the above

Liquidity

23. Does this business or organization have the cash or liquid assets required to operate for the next three months?

  • Yes
  • No
    • Will this business or organization be able to acquire the cash or liquid assets required?
      • Yes
      • No
        • What are the expected impacts of this business or organization not being able to acquire the cash or liquid assets required?
          Select all that apply.
          • Inability to pay salary or wages
          • Inability to pay suppliers
          • Inability to pay rent
          • Inability to pay utilities
          • Inability to pay mortgage
          • Inability to pay loans
            Exclude mortgages.
          • File for bankruptcy
          • Other impact
            • Specify other impact:
            OR
          • Don't know
      • Don't know
  • Don't know

Debt

24. Over the next three months, does this business or organization plan to apply for a new line of credit, a new term loan, a new non-residential mortgage, or refinancing of an existing non-residential mortgage?

Include commercial mortgages.

Exclude residential mortgages.

  • Yes
  • No
    • Does this business or organization have the ability to take on more debt?
      • Yes
      • No
        • For which of the following reasons is this business or organization unable to take on more debt?
          Select all that apply.
          • Cash flow
          • Lack of confidence or uncertainty in future sales
          • Request would be turned down
          • Too difficult or time consuming to apply
          • Interest rates are unfavourable
          • Payment terms are unfavourable
          • Credit rating
          • Other reason
            • Specify other reason:
            OR
          • Not applicable
            OR
          • Don't know
      • Don't know
  • Don't know

Working arrangements

25. Over the next three months, what percentage of the employees of this business or organization is anticipated to do each of the following?

Exclude staff that are primarily engaged in providing driving or delivery services or staff that primarily work at client premises.

Exclude contractors.

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

If the percentages are unknown, leave the question blank.

  1. Work on-site exclusively
    Percentage of employees:
  2. Work on-site most hours
    Percentage of employees:
  3. Work approximately the same number of hours on-site and remotely
    Percentage of employees:
  4. Work remotely most hours
    Percentage of employees:
  5. Work remotely exclusively
    Percentage of employees:

Flow condition: If at least 1% of employees are anticipated to work remotely exclusively in Q25, go to Q26. Otherwise, go to Q27.

26. It was indicated that at least some of the employees of this business or organization are anticipated to work remotely exclusively. What percentage of these employees are based outside the province or territory of this business or organization?

Include employees that will be working outside of Canada.

Exclude contractors.

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage of employees based in a different province or territory as employer:

OR

Don't know

Future outlook

27. Over the next 12 months, what is the future outlook for this business or organization?

  • Very optimistic
  • Somewhat optimistic
  • Somewhat pessimistic
  • Very pessimistic
  • Don't know

Flow condition: If the business or organization is a private sector business, go to Q28. Otherwise, go to "Contact person".

Ownership

(i) The groups identified within the following questions are included in order to gain a better understanding of businesses owned by members of various communities across Canada.

28. What percentage of this business or organization is owned by women?

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage:

OR

Don't know

29. What percentage of this business or organization is owned by First Nations, Métis or Inuit peoples?

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage:

OR

Don't know

30. What percentage of this business or organization is owned by immigrants to Canada?

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage:

OR

Don't know

31. What percentage of this business or organization is owned by persons with a disability?

Include visible and non-visible disabilities.

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage:

OR

Don't know

32. What percentage of this business or organization is owned by LGBTQ2 individuals?

The term LGBTQ2 refers to persons who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and/or two-spirited.

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage:

OR

Don't know

33. What percentage of this business or organization is owned by members of visible minorities?

A member of a visible minority in Canada may be defined as someone (other than an Indigenous person) who is non-white in colour or race, regardless of place of birth.

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage:

OR

Don't know

Flow condition: If more than 50% of this business or organization is owned by members of visible minorities, go to Q33. Otherwise, go to "Contact person".

34. It was indicated that at least 51% of this business or organization is owned by members of visible minorities. Please select the categories that describe the owner or owners.

Select all that apply.

  • South Asian
    e.g., East Indian, Pakistani, Sri Lankan
  • Chinese
  • Black
  • Filipino
  • Latin American
  • Arab
  • Southeast Asian
    e.g., Vietnamese, Cambodian, Laotian, Thai
  • West Asian
    e.g., Afghan, Iranian
  • Korean
  • Japanese
  • Other group
    • Specify other group:
  • OR
  • Prefer not to say
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