2021 Annual Survey of Service Industries: Employment Services

Why are we conducting this survey?

This survey is conducted by Statistics Canada in order to collect the necessary information to support the Integrated Business Statistics Program (IBSP). This program combines various survey and administrative data to develop comprehensive measures of the Canadian economy.

The statistical information from the IBSP serves many purposes, including:

  • calculating each province and territory's fair share of federal-provincial transfer payments for health, education and social programs
  • establishing government programs to assist businesses
  • assisting the business community in negotiating contracts and collective agreements
  • supporting the government in making informed decisions about fiscal, monetary and foreign exchange policies
  • indexing social benefit programs and determining tax brackets
  • enabling academics and economists to analyze the economic performance of Canadian industries and to better understand rapidly evolving business environments.

Your information may also be used by Statistics Canada for other statistical and research purposes.

Your participation in this survey is required under the authority of the Statistics Act.

Other important information

Authorization to collect this information

Data are collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.

Confidentiality

By law, Statistics Canada is prohibited from releasing any information it collects that could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent, or as permitted by the Statistics Act. Statistics Canada will use the information from this survey for statistical purposes only.

Record linkages

To enhance the data from this survey and to reduce the reporting burden, Statistics Canada may combine the acquired data with information from other surveys or from administrative sources.

Data-sharing agreements

To reduce respondent burden, Statistics Canada has entered into data-sharing agreements with provincial and territorial statistical agencies and other government organizations, which have agreed to keep the data confidential and use them only for statistical purposes. Statistics Canada will only share data from this survey with those organizations that have demonstrated a requirement to use the data.

Section 11 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with provincial and territorial statistical agencies that meet certain conditions. These agencies must have the legislative authority to collect the same information, on a mandatory basis, and the legislation must provide substantially the same provisions for confidentiality and penalties for disclosure of confidential information as the Statistics Act. Because these agencies have the legal authority to compel businesses to provide the same information, consent is not requested and businesses may not object to the sharing of the data.

For this survey, there are Section 11 agreements with the provincial and territorial statistical agencies of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Québec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia and the Yukon. The shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.

Section 12 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with federal, provincial or territorial government organizations.

Under Section 12, you may refuse to share your information with any of these organizations by writing a letter of objection to the Chief Statistician, specifying the organizations with which you do not want Statistics Canada to share your data and mailing it to the following address:

Chief Statistician of Canada
Statistics Canada
Attention of Director, Enterprise Statistics Division
150 Tunney's Pasture Driveway
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0T6

You may also contact us by email at statcan.esd-helpdesk-dse-bureaudedepannage.statcan@canada.ca or by fax at 613-951-6583.

For this survey, there are Section 12 agreements with the statistical agencies of Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.

For agreements with provincial and territorial government organizations, the shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.

Business or organization and contact information

1. Verify or provide the business or organization's legal and operating name and correct where needed.

Note: Legal name modifications should only be done to correct a spelling error or typo.

Legal Name

The legal name is one recognized by law, thus it is the name liable for pursuit or for debts incurred by the business or organization. In the case of a corporation, it is the legal name as fixed by its charter or the statute by which the corporation was created.

Modifications to the legal name should only be done to correct a spelling error or typo.

To indicate a legal name of another legal entity you should instead indicate it in question 3 by selecting 'Not currently operational' and then choosing the applicable reason and providing the legal name of this other entity along with any other requested information.

Operating Name

The operating name is a name the business or organization is commonly known as if different from its legal name. The operating name is synonymous with trade name.

Legal name

Operating name (if applicable)

2. Verify or provide the contact information of the designated business or organization contact person for this questionnaire and correct where needed.

Note: The designated contact person is the person who should receive this questionnaire. The designated contact person may not always be the one who actually completes the questionnaire.

  • First name:
  • Last name:
  • Title:
  • Preferred language of communication:
    • English
    • French
  • Mailing address (number and street):
  • City:
  • Province, territory or state:
  • Postal code or ZIP code:
  • Country:
    • Canada
    • United States
  • Email address:
  • Telephone number (including area code):
  • Extension number (if applicable):
    The maximum number of characters is 10.
  • Fax number (including area code):

3. Verify or provide the current operational status of the business or organization identified by the legal and operating name above.

  • Operational
  • Not currently operational
    Why is this business or organization not currently operational?
    • Seasonal operations
      • When did this business or organization close for the season?
        • Date
      • When does this business or organization expect to resume operations?
        • Date
    • Ceased operations
      • When did this business or organization cease operations?
        • Date
      • Why did this business or organization cease operations?
        • Bankruptcy
        • Liquidation
        • Dissolution
        • Other - Specify the other reasons for ceased operations
    • Sold operations
      • When was this business or organization sold?
        • Date
      • What is the legal name of the buyer?
    • Amalgamated with other businesses or organizations
      • When did this business or organization amalgamate?
        • Date
      • What is the legal name of the resulting or continuing business or organization?
      • What are the legal names of the other amalgamated businesses or organizations?
    • Temporarily inactive but will re-open
      • When did this business or organization become temporarily inactive?
        • Date
      • When does this business or organization expect to resume operations?
        • Date
      • Why is this business or organization temporarily inactive?
    • No longer operating due to other reasons
      • When did this business or organization cease operations?
        • Date
      • Why did this business or organization cease operations?

4. Verify or provide the current main activity of the business or organization identified by the legal and operating name above.

Note: The described activity was assigned using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).

This question verifies the business or organization's current main activity as classified by the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) is an industry classification system developed by the statistical agencies of Canada, Mexico and the United States. Created against the background of the North American Free Trade Agreement, it is designed to provide common definitions of the industrial structure of the three countries and a common statistical framework to facilitate the analysis of the three economies. NAICS is based on supply-side or production-oriented principles, to ensure that industrial data, classified to NAICS, are suitable for the analysis of production-related issues such as industrial performance.

The target entity for which NAICS is designed are businesses and other organizations engaged in the production of goods and services. They include farms, incorporated and unincorporated businesses and government business enterprises. They also include government institutions and agencies engaged in the production of marketed and non-marketed services, as well as organizations such as professional associations and unions and charitable or non-profit organizations and the employees of households.

The associated NAICS should reflect those activities conducted by the business or organizational units targeted by this questionnaire only, as identified in the 'Answering this questionnaire' section and which can be identified by the specified legal and operating name. The main activity is the activity which most defines the targeted business or organization's main purpose or reason for existence. For a business or organization that is for-profit, it is normally the activity that generates the majority of the revenue for the entity.

The NAICS classification contains a limited number of activity classifications; the associated classification might be applicable for this business or organization even if it is not exactly how you would describe this business or organization's main activity.

Please note that any modifications to the main activity through your response to this question might not necessarily be reflected prior to the transmitting of subsequent questionnaires and as a result they may not contain this updated information.

The following is the detailed description including any applicable examples or exclusions for the classification currently associated with this business or organization.

Description and examples:

  • This is the current main activity
  • This is not the current main activity
    Provide a brief but precise description of this business or organization's main activity:
    e.g., breakfast cereal manufacturing, shoe store, software development

Main activity

5. You indicated that is not the current main activity.

Was this business or organization's main activity ever classified as: ?

  • Yes
    When did the main activity change?
    Date:
  • No

6. Search and select the industry classification code that best corresponds to this business or organization's main activity.

Select this business or organization's activity sector (optional)

  • Farming or logging operation
  • Construction company or general contractor
  • Manufacturer
  • Wholesaler
  • Retailer
  • Provider of passenger or freight transportation
  • Provider of investment, savings or insurance products
  • Real estate agency, real estate brokerage or leasing company
  • Provider of professional, scientific or technical services
  • Provider of health care or social services
  • Restaurant, bar, hotel, motel or other lodging establishment
  • Other sector

7. You have indicated that the current main activity of this business or organization is: Main activity. Are there any other activities that contribute significantly (at least 10%) to this business or organization's revenue?

  • Yes, there are other activities
    Provide a brief but precise description of this business or organization's secondary activity
    e.g., breakfast cereal manufacturing, shoe store, software development
  • No, that is the only significant activity

8. Approximately what percentage of this business or organization's revenue is generated by each of the following activities?

When precise figures are not available, provide your best estimates.

Table 8. Approximately what percentage of this business or organization's revenue is generated by each of the following activities?
Table summary
This is an empty data table used by respondents to provide data to Statistics Canada. This table contains no data.
  Percentage of revenue
Main activity  
Secondary activity  
All other activities  
Total percentage  

Reporting period information

1. What are the start and end dates of this business's or organization's most recently completed fiscal year?

For this survey, the end date should fall between April 1, 2021 and March 31, 2022.

Here are twelve common fiscal periods that fall within the targeted dates:

  • May 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021
  • June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021
  • July 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021
  • August 1, 2020 to July 31, 2021
  • September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2021
  • October 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021
  • November 1, 2020 to October 31, 2021
  • December 1, 2020 to November 30, 2021
  • January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021
  • February 1, 2021 to January 31, 2022
  • March 1, 2021 to February 28, 2022
  • April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.

Here are other examples of fiscal periods that fall within the required dates:

  • September 18, 2020 to September 15, 2021 (e.g., floating year-end)
  • June 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 (e.g., a newly opened business).

Fiscal year start date:

Fiscal year-end date:

2. What is the reason the reporting period does not cover a full year?

Select all that apply.

  • Seasonal operations
  • New business
  • Change of ownership
  • Temporarily inactive
  • Change of fiscal year
  • Ceased operations
  • Other - Specify reason the reporting period does not cover a full year:

Additional reporting instructions

1. Throughout this questionnaire, please report financial information in thousands of Canadian dollars.

For example, an amount of $763,880.25 should be reported as:

CAN$ '000: $764,000

I will report in the format above

Revenue

1. For the reporting period of YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD, what was this business's revenue from each of the following sources?

Notes:

  • a detailed breakdown may be requested in other sections
  • these questions are asked of many different industries. Some questions may not apply to this business

Report dollar amounts in thousands of Canadian dollars.

Revenue

a. Sales of goods and services (e.g., fees, commissions, services revenue)

Report net of returns and allowances.

Sales of goods and services are defined as amounts derived from the sale of goods and services (cash or credit), falling within a business's ordinary activities. Sales should be reported net of trade discount, value added tax and other taxes based on sales.

Include:

  • sales from Canadian locations (domestic and export sales)
  • transfers to other business units or a head office of your firm.

Exclude:

  • transfers into inventory and consignment sales
  • federal, provincial and territorial sales taxes and excise duties and taxes
  • intercompany sales in consolidated financial statements.

b. Rental and leasing

Include rental or leasing of apartments, commercial buildings, land, office space, residential housing, investments in co-tenancies and co-ownerships, hotel or motel rooms, long and short term vehicle leasing, machinery or equipment, storage lockers, etc.

c. Commissions

Include commissions earned on the sale of products or services by businesses such as advertising agencies, brokers, insurance agents, lottery ticket sales, sales representatives and travel agencies - compensation could also be reported under this item (for example, compensation for collecting sales tax).

d. Subsidies (including grants, donations, fundraising and sponsorships)

Include:

  • non-repayable grants, contributions and subsidies from all levels of government
  • revenue from private sector (corporate and individual) sponsorships, donations and fundraising.

e. Royalties, rights, licensing and franchise fees

A royalty is defined as a payment received by the holder of a copyright, trademark or patent.

Include revenue received from the sale or use of all intellectual property rights of copyrighted materials such as musical, literary, artistic or dramatic works, sound recordings or the broadcasting of communication signals.

f. Dividends

Include:

  • dividend income
  • dividends from Canadian sources
  • dividends from foreign sources
  • patronage dividends.

Exclude equity income from investments in subsidiaries or affiliates.

g. Interest

Include:

  • investment revenue
  • interest from foreign sources
  • interest from Canadian bonds and debentures
  • interest from Canadian mortgage loans
  • interest from other Canadian sources.

Exclude equity income from investments in subsidiaries or affiliates.

h. All other revenue (Include intracompany transfers)

Include amounts not included in questions a. to g.

Total revenue

The sum of sub-questions a. to h.

Table summary
This is an empty data table used by respondents to provide data to Statistics Canada. This table contains no data.
  CAN$ '000
a. Sales of goods and services  
b. Rental and leasing  
c. Commissions  
d. Subsidies  
e. Royalties, rights, licensing and franchise fees  
f. Dividends  
g. Interest  
h. Other  
Total revenue  

E-commerce

The following questions are about e-commerce activities.

E-commerce revenue: Sales of goods and services conducted over the Internet with or without online payment.

Include all revenue for which an order is received and commitment to purchase is made via the Internet, although payment can be made by other means, such as orders made on web pages, an extranet, mobile devices or Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

Exclude orders made by telephone, facsimile or email.

Sales from automated kiosks located within the business's establishments are excluded from E-commerce sales.

1. For the reporting period of YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD, what was this business's total revenue?

Include:

  • sales of goods and services
  • rental, leasing and property management
  • commissions
  • subsidies, grants, donations, fundraising and sponsorships
  • royalties
  • rights
  • licensing and franchise fees
  • dividends, interest and other revenue.

Report dollar amounts in thousands of Canadian dollars.

Total revenue in CAN$ '000

2. For the reporting period of YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD, did this business have any e-commerce revenue?

E-commerce revenue: Sales of goods and services conducted over the Internet with or without online payment.

Include all revenue for which an order is received and commitment to purchase is made via the Internet, although payment can be made by other means, such as orders made on web pages, an extranet, mobile devices or Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).

Exclude orders made by telephone, facsimile or email.

  • Yes
  • No

3. Of the $ [amount] reported in total revenue, what was the total e-commerce revenue?

When precise figures are not available, provide your best estimates.

Report dollar amounts in thousands of Canadian dollars.

Total e-commerce revenue in CAN$ '000

4. For the reporting period of YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD, did this business make sales over the Internet through any of the following methods?

Select all that apply.

  • Mobile app
    Include sales through any app, or application, that is downloaded and designed to run on a handheld device such as a smartphone or tablet (for example, places where a user may download these apps, including Apple's App Store, Google Play or Blackberry App World).
  • Company website
    Include sales through a browser-based website where your organization maintains control of the content.
  • Third-party website
    Include sales through a browser-based website where a third-party maintains the structure of the website and control of the look and feel while your company only provides the product to be sold (for example, Amazon, Expedia or Etsy).
  • Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
    A standard format for exchanging business data. EDI is based on the use of message standards, ensuring that all participants use a common language.
  • Via a mobile app
  • Via your company website
  • Via a third-party website
  • Via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
  • Other - Specify the other methods

5. Does this business have any full-time staff dedicated solely to activities related to e-commerce?

  • Yes
  • No

6. Why did this business not make sales over the Internet?

Select all that apply.

  • Goods and services do not lend themselves to online sales
  • Prefer to maintain current business model
  • Lack of skilled workers to implement and maintain e-commerce infrastructure
  • Cost of development is too high
  • Security concerns
  • Other - Specify the other reasons

Expenses

1. For the reporting period of YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD, what were this business's expenses for the following items?

Notes:

  • a detailed breakdown may be requested in other sections
  • these questions are asked of many different industries. Some questions may not apply to this business

Report dollar amounts in thousands of Canadian dollars.

Expenses

a. Cost of goods sold

Many business units distinguish their costs of materials from their other business expenses (selling, general and administrative). This item is included to allow you to easily record your costs/expenses according to your normal accounting practices.

Include:

  • cost of raw materials and/or goods purchased for resale - net of discounts earned on purchases
  • freight in and duty.

Exclude all costs associated with salaries, wages, benefits, commissions and subcontracts (report at Employment costs and expenses, and Subcontracts).

b. Employment costs and expenses

b1. Salaries, wages and commissions

Please report all salaries and wages (including taxable allowances and employment commissions as defined on the T4 - Statement of Remuneration Paid) before deductions for this reporting period.

Include:

  • vacation pay
  • bonuses (including profit sharing)
  • employee commissions
  • taxable allowances (e.g., room and board, vehicle allowances, gifts such as airline tickets for holidays)
  • severance pay.

Exclude all payments and expenses associated with casual labour and outside contract workers (report at Subcontracts).

b2. Employee benefits

Include contributions to:

  • health plans
  • insurance plans
  • employment insurance
  • pension plans
  • workers' compensation
  • association dues
  • contributions to any other employee benefits such as child care and supplementary unemployment benefit (SUB) plans
  • contributions to provincial and territorial health and education payroll taxes.

c. Subcontracts

Subcontract expense refers to the purchasing of services from outside of the company rather than providing them in-house.

Include:

  • hired casual labour and outside contract workers
  • custom work and contract work
  • subcontract and outside labour
  • hired labour.

d. Research and development fees

Expenses from activities conducted with the intention of making a discovery that could either lead to the development of new products or procedures, or to the improvement of existing products or procedures.

e. Professional and business fees

Include:

  • legal services
  • accounting and auditing fees
  • consulting fees
  • education and training fees
  • appraisal fees
  • management and administration fees
  • property management fees
  • information technology (IT) consulting and service fees (purchased)
  • architectural fees
  • engineering fees
  • scientific and technical service fees
  • other consulting fees (management, technical and scientific)
  • veterinary fees
  • fees for human health services
  • payroll preparation fees
  • all other professional and business service fees.

Exclude service fees paid to Head Office (report at All other costs and expenses).

f. Utilities

Utility expenses related to operating your business unit such as water, electricity, gas and heating.

Include:

  • diesel, fuel wood, natural gas, oil and propane
  • sewage.

Exclude:

  • energy expenses covered in your rental and leasing contracts
  • telephone, Internet and other telecommunications
  • vehicle fuel (report at All other costs and expenses).

g. Office and computer related expenses

Include:

  • office stationery and supplies, paper and other supplies for photocopiers, printers and fax machines
  • postage and courier (used in the day to day office business activity)
  • computer and peripherals upgrade expenses
  • data processing.

Exclude telephone, Internet and other telecommunication expenses (report at Telephone, Internet and other telecommunication).

h. Telephone, Internet and other telecommunication

Include:

  • internet
  • telephone and telecommunications
  • cellular telephone
  • fax machine
  • pager.

i. Business taxes, licenses and permits

Include:

  • property taxes paid directly and property transfer taxes
  • vehicle license fees
  • beverage taxes and business taxes
  • trade license fees
  • membership fees and professional license fees
  • provincial capital tax.

j. Royalties, franchise fees and memberships

Include:

  • amounts paid to holders of patents, copyrights, performing rights and trademarks
  • gross overriding royalty expenses and direct royalty costs
  • resident and non-resident royalty expenses
  • franchise fees.

Exclude Crown royalties

k. Crown charges

Federal or Provincial royalty, tax, lease or rental payments made in relation to the acquisition, development or ownership of Canadian resource properties.

Include:

  • Crown royalties
  • Crown leases and rentals
  • oil sand leases
  • stumpage fees.

l. Rental and leasing

Include:

  • lease rental expenses, real estate rental expenses, condominium fees and equipment rental expenses
  • motor vehicle rental and leasing expenses
  • studio lighting and scaffolding
  • machinery and equipment rental expenses
  • storage expenses
  • road and construction equipment rental
  • fuel and other utility costs covered in your rental and leasing contracts.

m. Repair and maintenance

Include:

  • buildings and structures
  • machinery and equipment
  • security equipment
  • vehicles
  • costs related to materials, parts and external labour associated with these expenses
  • janitorial and cleaning services and garbage removal.

n. Amortization and depreciation

Include:

  • direct cost depreciation of tangible assets and amortization of leasehold improvements
  • amortization of intangible assets (e.g., amortization of goodwill, patents, franchises, copyrights, trademarks, deferred charges, organizational costs).

o. Insurance

Insurance recovery income should be deducted from insurance expenses.

Include:

  • professional and other liability insurance
  • motor vehicle and property insurance
  • executive life insurance
  • bonding, business interruption insurance and fire insurance.

p. Advertising, marketing, promotion, meals and entertainment

Include:

  • newspaper advertising and media expenses
  • catalogues, presentations and displays
  • tickets for theatre, concerts and sporting events for business promotion
  • fundraising expenses
  • meals, entertainment and hospitality purchases for clients.

q. Travel, meetings and conventions

Include:

  • travel expenses
  • meeting and convention expenses, seminars
  • passenger transportation (e.g., airfare, bus, train)
  • accommodations
  • travel allowance and meals while travelling
  • other travel expenses.

r. Financial services

Include:

  • explicit service charges for financial services
  • credit and debit card commissions and charges
  • collection expenses and transfer fees
  • registrar and transfer agent fees
  • security and exchange commission fees
  • other financial service fees.

Exclude interest expenses (report at Interest expense).

s. Interest expense

Report the cost of servicing your company's debt.

Include:

  • interest
  • bank charges
  • finance charges
  • interest payments on capital leases
  • amortization of bond discounts
  • interest on short-term and long-term debt, mortgages, bonds and debentures.

t. Other non-production-related costs and expenses

Include:

  • charitable donations and political contributions
  • bad debt expense
  • loan losses
  • provisions for loan losses (minus bad debt recoveries)
  • inventory adjustments.

u. All other costs and expenses (including intracompany expenses)

Include:

  • production costs
  • pipeline operations, drilling, site restoration
  • gross overriding royalty
  • other producing property rentals
  • well operating, fuel and equipment
  • other lease rentals
  • other direct costs
  • equipment hire and operation
  • log yard expense, forestry costs, logging road costs
  • freight in and duty
  • overhead expenses allocated to cost of sales
  • other expenses
  • cash over/short (negative expense)
  • reimbursement of parent company expense
  • warranty expense
  • recruiting expenses
  • general and administrative expenses
  • interdivisional expenses
  • interfund transfer (minus expense recoveries)
  • exploration and development (including prospect/geological, well abandonment and dry holes, exploration expenses, development expenses)
  • amounts not included in sub-questions a. to t. above.

Total expenses

The sum of sub-questions a. to u.

Table summary
This is an empty data table used by respondents to provide data to Statistics Canada. This table contains no data.
  CAN$ '000
Cost of goods sold  
Opening inventories  
Purchases  
Closing inventories  
Cost of goods sold  
Employment costs and expenses  
Salaries, wages and commissions  
Employee benefits  
Subcontracts  
Research and development fees  
Professional and business fees  
Utilities  
Office and computer related expenses  
Telephone, Internet and other telecommunication  
Business taxes, licenses and permits  
Royalties, franchise fees and memberships  
Crown charges  
Rental and leasing  
Repair and maintenance  
Amortization and depreciation  
Insurance  
Advertising, marketing, promotion, meals and entertainment  
Travel, meetings and conventions  
Financial services  
Interest expense  
Other non-production-related costs and expenses  
All other costs and expenses  
Total expenses   

Industry characteristics

1. What were this business's sales for each of the following types of employment services?

Please report all amounts in thousands of Canadian dollars.

a. Executive/retained search services

Specialized search and recruitment service limited to filling highly paid executive, senior manager, and professional positions, according to client specifications.

May include fees for services such as:

  • conducting detailed interviews with the client organization's management team
  • developing job profiles
  • conducting original research and advertising to locate potential job candidates
  • screening possible candidates
  • preparing, presenting and discussing a confidential list of highly qualified applicants with the client
  • making interview arrangements
  • negotiating compensation
  • providing post-hire follow-up.

The search firm typically provides two assurances to the client firm:

  • repeat the search at no extra charge (out-of-pocket expenses only) should a placed candidate subsequently fail for reasons attributed to lack of due diligence by the search firm
  • not to recruit from the client firm for a stated period of time.

The client makes the decision as to which candidate to hire. The search agency fee is charged whether or not the candidate is hired. This product is also known as retained search.

b. Permanent placement services (exclude executive/retained search services)

Service of recruiting, selecting and referring candidates to the client to fill positions on a permanent (indeterminate) basis.

The services may include testing, interviewing, reference checking, evaluation and counselling of prospective employees. The service provider acts as an employment intermediary. The candidate is selected and hired by the client. The placement firm is paid on a contingency basis, e.g., only for successful placement of a candidate. This product includes permanent placement services for a complete range of occupations from low-level employees to management employees, including executives, domestic and international job placements.

Exclude permanent placement services for executives recruited through executive/retained search service (report at Executive/retained search services).

c. Contract staffing services (temporary assignment of contract employees — non T4 recipients)

Services of finding individual contractors to fill positions on the basis of written contracts that stipulate the deliverables for which the client has contracted, as well as specific terms and conditions of employment. Under the terms of this agreement, the service provider has legal rights and duties with respect to the individual contractors. As they are not employees of the employment placement agencies, the individual contractors are normally responsible for their own payroll deductions and government filings.

d. Temporary staffing services (temporary assignment of staffing firm employees — T4 recipients)

Supplying personnel for temporary work assignments, temporary staffing firms hire their own employees and assigns them to support or supplement the client's workforce in work situations such as employee absences, temporary skill shortages, seasonal workloads and special assignments and projects. The employees are on the payroll of the temporary staffing firm which is legally responsible for their actions, but when working they are under the direct supervision of the client. The temporary staffing firm specifies the pay, benefits, etc. of the employee.

e. Temporary staffing to permanent placement services

This is a temporary assignment of staffing firm employees — T4 recipients — with the expectation of permanent work at the end of the trial period with the client.

The employee remains on the payroll of the temporary help staffing firm until the hiring decision is made at which time he or she becomes an employee of the client or, if not, returns to the temporary help staffing firm. This service may include training, counselling, assessment and résumé upgrading.

f. Co-employment staffing and payrolling services

Co-employment staffing is provided by a professional employer organization; payrolling is long term staffing such as labour leasing, staff leasing, employee leasing and extended employee staffing.

A service in which a professional employer organization (PEO) co-employs a client's workforce. The PEO and the client enter into a contractual agreement whereby the rights and responsibilities in respect of co-employees are shared or allocated, with the service provider assuming responsibility for certain activities as agreed with the client. These range from basic to full-service packages.

Payrolling is supplying personnel for extended work assignments. Under the terms of this arrangement, the client may recruit the person or persons hired by the staffing firm and assigned to their place of work, or transfer a portion of their existing workforce to the staffing firm. Long-term employees are placed on the payroll of the staffing firm, which is legally responsible for their actions, but when working they are supervised by the client. This service includes activities such as labour leasing, staff leasing, employee leasing, extended employee staffing and payrolling.

g. All other sales

Include the following goods and services:

On-site management of temporary help

Provision of personnel who, in the work area of the client, assign, co-ordinate and monitor employees provided by the temporary help staffing firm. This service provides a single point of contact for the client. Activities include recruitment, testing, selection, training, reporting and quality monitoring. Assignment of an on-site manager requires a request from the client.

On-line job listing services

Soliciting candidates and posting job openings to a website which may be known as a job board, job bank, recruiting site, directory, labour exchange or employment registry. Organizations that post job listings to these sites are usually charged a fee, whereas job seekers usually have free access. These websites may include newsletters, referrals based on matching profiles or keywords and access to training and employment-related services and programs, search engines and other resources.

On-line résumé listing services

Soliciting and posting résumés/curriculums vitae to a website which may be known as a job board, job bank, recruiting site, directory, labour exchange or employment registry. Individuals who post résumés or vitae to these sites are not usually charged a fee; exceptions are online casting and talent search services that may charge for posting a vita or headshot. These websites may include job referrals based on matching profiles or keywords, access to training and employment-related services and programs, search engines, newsletters and other resources.

Sale of on-line job site advertising space

Sale of advertising space on Internet job sites by the owner or operator of the site. Advertising in this medium consists mainly of announcements, splash pages and logo buttons directed to individuals seeking jobs.

On-line job site memberships

Sale of memberships in an online job bank, job board, recruiting site, directory, labour exchange or employment registry for a set period of time. The membership level varies but usually includes job postings, résumé searching, use of job tracking software and access to statistical databases.

On-line employment database search services

Enabling users to search résumés/curriculums vitae or job listings posted to a website. Searches can usually be conducted by function, industry, location and date of résumé posting using customized search engines.

Sale of employment-related software

Sale of software designed for employment/job search. Includes software for interactive Internet recruiting, applicant tracking and applicant evaluation.

Managed services

Managing and/or operating an area or task for a client organization on an on-going basis, with or without the provision of operating staff. This service may include shipping and receiving, mail services, accounts payable, purchasing, food services, maintenance of facilities, records management and other operations that support a client's business. Managed services are also known as outsourcing, office management, facilities support, facilities management or project management services.

Human resource consulting services

Providing advice and assistance concerning policies and procedures relating to staffing and development, performance measurement, pay and benefits, internal communications, regulatory compliance, due diligence, labour relations and other human resource issues, with reference to the strategic and operational objectives of the client.

Consulting services, not elsewhere classified

Consulting services not directly related to human resource operations. Examples are information technology (IT) consulting, management consulting and employment market consulting.

Employee evaluation services

Screening and appraisal of the technical and psychometric skills of individuals considered for hiring, promotion and/or advancement by the client. This service is most frequently used as part of the hiring process. This service also includes fee-based computer software certification tests.

Outplacement and career counselling

Assisting clients to deal with employee terminations in a fair, safe and lawful manner.
Assisting client employees in making job and career changes. Employee assistance includes counselling, job search support, workshops, seminars and résumé upgrading.

Payroll services

Payroll processing, withholding deductions, remitting deductions and employer's contributions to government-mandated and other plans, and filing reports.

Training services

Instruction related to employment in areas such as computer-based skills, certification programs, skills upgrading, safety training and tutorials. This service is adjusted to the needs identified by the client.

Personal background checks

Investigation of the personal, academic, financial and work history of candidates to be considered for hiring, promotion and/or advancement or those already employed by the client. This service is normally included as part of the hiring process. This product may be sold separately.

Medical exams for employment

A health evaluation of the candidate. Includes medical history, laboratory tests and physical examinations. This product may be sold separately.

Table summary
This is an empty data table used by respondents to provide data to Statistics Canada. This table contains no data.
  CAN$ '000
Executive/retained search services  
Permanent placement services  
Contract staffing services  
Temporary staffing services  
Temporary staffing to permanent placement services  
Co-employment staffing and payrolling services  
Other sales of goods and services  
Total sales of goods and services  

2. What were this business's labour costs for the following types of employees and contractors?

a. Salaries, wages and benefits paid to internal employees — T4 recipients

Internal employees are the staffing firm employees who are responsible for the day to day activities of the staffing firm. These internal employees are not assigned to client firms and their work is mainly carried out within the office(s) of the staffing firm.

Include:

  • administrative personnel
  • recruitment consultants.

Please report all salaries, wages and benefits (including taxable allowances and employment commissions as defined on the T4 — Statement of Remuneration Paid) before deductions for this reporting period.

Include:

  • vacation pay
  • bonuses (including profit sharing)
  • employment commissions
  • taxable allowances (e.g., room and board, vehicle allowances, gifts such as airline tickets for holidays)
  • severance pay.

Include contributions to:

  • health plans
  • insurance plans
  • employment insurance
  • pension plans
  • workers' compensation
  • any other employee benefits such as child care and supplementary unemployment benefit (SUB) plans
  • provincial and territorial health and education payroll taxes.

Exclude all payments made to outside contract workers temporarily assigned and to casual labourers to whom no T4 — Statement of Remuneration Paid was issued.

b. Salaries, wages and benefits paid to employees temporarily assigned — T4 recipients

Employees from the staffing firm sent temporarily to client firms on short-term or extended work assignments. The staffing firm is responsible for paying all salaries, wages and benefits of the assigned employees. The work of employees assigned to client firms is carried out under supervision provided by the client firm.

c. Amounts paid to contractors temporarily assigned — non T4 recipients

Amounts paid by the staffing firm to contractors assigned to client firms to fill positions on the basis of written contracts that stipulate the deliverables for which the client has contracted, as well as specific terms and conditions of employment. Under the terms of this agreement, the employment service provider has legal rights and duties with respect to individual contractors.

Not being employees of the staffing firm, the individual contractors are normally responsible for their own payroll deductions and government filings. The contractors are not issued a T4 — Statement of Remuneration Paid — by either the staffing firm nor the client firm.

Table summary
This is an empty data table used by respondents to provide data to Statistics Canada. This table contains no data.
  CAN$ '000
Salaries, wages and benefits paid to internal employees — T4 recipients  
Salaries, wages and benefits paid to employees temporarily assigned — T4 recipients  
Amounts paid to contractors temporarily assigned — non T4 recipients  

3. For the reporting period of YYYY-MM-DD to YYYY-MM-DD, how many internal employees (T4 recipients) did this business have?

Number

Sales by type of client

1. What was this business's breakdown of sales by the following types of client?

Sales by type of client

This section is designed to measure which sector of the economy purchases your services.

Please provide a percentage breakdown of your sales by type of client.

Please ensure that the sum of percentages reported in this section equals 100%.

a. to c. Clients in Canada

a. Individuals and households

Please report the percentage of sales to individuals and households who do not represent the business or government sector.

b. Businesses

Percentage of sales sold to the business sector should be reported here.

Include sales to Crown corporations.

c. Governments, not-for-profit organizations and public institutions (e.g., hospitals, schools)

Percentage of sales to federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments should be reported here.

Include: sales to hospitals, schools, universities and public utilities.

d. Clients outside Canada

Please report the percentage of total sales to customers or clients located outside Canada including foreign businesses, foreign individuals, foreign institutions and/or governments.

Include sales to foreign subsidiaries and affiliates.

Table summary
This is an empty data table used by respondents to provide data to Statistics Canada. This table contains no data.
  Percentage
Clients in Canada — individuals and households  
Clients in Canada — businesses  
Clients in Canada — governments, not-for-profit organizations and public institutions  
Clients outside Canada  
Total percentage  

Sales by consumer location

1. What was the percentage breakdown of this business's sales by consumer location?

Consumer location is the location where the goods or services will ultimately be used.

If ultimate consumer location is not known, the following are acceptable substitutes:

  • shipping destination
  • client's billing address
  • location of this business's retail customers
  • location of this business's warehouses/distribution centres.
Table summary
This is an empty data table used by respondents to provide data to Statistics Canada. This table contains no data.
  Percentage
Newfoundland and Labrador  
Prince Edward Island  
Nova Scotia  
New Brunswick  
Quebec  
Ontario  
Manitoba  
Saskatchewan  
Alberta  
British Columbia  
Yukon  
Northwest Territories  
Nunavut  
United States  
All other countries  
Total percentage  

COVID-19

1. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021 did this business experience additional expenses to comply with public health and safety guidelines or corporate guidelines to be allowed to operate?

Additional expenses could include: purchases of cleaning supplies, sanitation measures, protective equipment for employees or customers and costs to retrofit business operations (e.g., Plexiglass barriers, new equipment that facilitates physical distancing, additional labour costs).
Public health and safety guidelines refer to guidelines from a federal, provincial or municipal health agency.

Yes

What were the total additional expenses in fiscal year 2021?
Report in thousands of dollars. For expenses less than $500, enter "0".
When precise figures are not available, please provide your best estimate.

Additional labour costs, if applicable (CAN$ '000)
$ ,000
Other additional expenses (CAN$ '000)
$ ,000

As a result of the additional expenses or business conditions, did this business delay plans to expand operating capacity or undertake investments?

No

2. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, in 2021 which of the following ways did this business change operating methods? 

Include both temporary and ongoing changes.

Select all that apply.

  • Adopt or expand upon a contact-less business model (e.g., e-commerce sales, drive-through, delivery, curbside pickup, offer virtual services )
  • Retrofit the workspace
  • Invest in e-commerce platforms
  • Use business intelligence technologies (e.g., cloud-based computing systems and big data analytic tools)
  • Develop new supply chains
  • Ask some or all employees to work from home
  • Introduce or accelerate the introduction of new goods and services
  • Increase prices charged to customers of certain goods and services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Decrease prices charged to customers of certain goods and services as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic
  • Change marketing strategy (Include re-allocating marketing budget)
  • Increase marketing budget
  • Decrease marketing budget
  • Expand to new markets
  • Substitute capital for labour (e.g., automation, robots for use in producing goods and services)
  • Provided extra staff training (e.g., job specific training, managerial training, training in new technology, training in new business practices, digital skills training, data literacy skills, other training and development)
  • Downsize business activities (e.g., reduce goods and services offered)
  • Reduce labour costs (e.g., lay off employees, furlough employees, request employees take vacation, reduce hours of employees, offer early retirement package, outsource work)
  • Reduce costs other than labour costs
  • Take other actions
  • Specify the additional actions taken

    OR

  • No changes to operating methods in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

3. Due to COVID-19, did this business receive public financial relief to avoid layoffs through the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy or Temporary 10% Wage Subsidy programs?

Yes
How much did your business obtain through these means?
Financial relief received (CAN$ '000)
$ ,000

No

Notification of intent to extract web data

1. Does this business have a website?

Statistics Canada is piloting a web data extraction initiative, also known as web scraping, which uses software to search and compile publicly available data from business websites. As a result, we may visit the website for this business to search for, and compile, additional information. This initiative should allow us to reduce the reporting burden on businesses, as well as produce additional statistical indicators to ensure that our data remain accurate and relevant.

We will do our utmost to ensure the data are collected in a manner that will not affect the functionality of the website. Any data collected will be used by Statistics Canada for statistical and research purposes only, in accordance with the agency's mandate.

Please visit Statistics Canada's web scraping initiative page for more information.

Please visit Statistics Canada's transparency and accountability page to learn more.

If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Statistics Canada Client Services, toll-free at 1-877-949-9492 (TTY: 1-800-363-7629) or by email at infostats@canada.ca.

Changes or events

1. Indicate any changes or events that affected the reported values for this business or organization, compared with the last reporting period.

Select all that apply.

  • Strike or lock-out
  • Exchange rate impact
  • Price changes in goods or services sold
  • Contracting out
  • Organizational change
  • Price changes in labour or raw materials
  • Natural disaster
  • Recession
  • Change in product line
  • Sold business or business units
  • Expansion
  • New or lost contract
  • Plant closures
  • Acquisition of business or business units
  • Other - Specify the other changes or events:
  • No changes or events

Contact person

2. Statistics Canada may need to contact the person who completed this questionnaire for further information.

Is the provided given names and the provided family name the best person to contact?

  • Yes
  • No

Who is the best person to contact about this questionnaire?

First name:

Last name:

Title:

Email address:

Telephone number (including area code):

Extension number (if applicable):
The maximum number of characters is 5.

Fax number (including area code):

Feedback

3. How long did it take to complete this questionnaire?

Include the time spent gathering the necessary information.

Hours:

Minutes:

4. Do you have any comments about this questionnaire?

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