Frequently asked questions

• Why does Statistics Canada want to survey the film and video industry?
• How was my business unit selected?
• Who uses this information and how?
• How will this survey benefit my business unit?
• I do not understand the definitions used in the questionnaire. What should I do?
• When will the results be available?

Why does Statistics Canada want to survey the film and video industry? 

Statistics Canada is aiming to provide a profile of the film and video industry that is comparable to information available for other industries. The survey will provide indicators that measure this industry's financial health and contribution to the economy, in terms of employment, profit margin, revenue and expenses. Accurate data on the film and video industry, together with data on other industries, contribute to creating reliable economic indicators for Canada and the provinces.

How was my business unit selected?

Most businesses are selected as part of a random sample to represent other film and video businesses with similar characteristics, such as size, employment, or revenue. Some are selected because they dominate this industry in Canada, in a particular province or territory.

Who uses this information and how?

Film and video businesses will be able to use the data as a benchmark to compare profit margins and expenses with aggregated data for similar businesses. The data can also be used to assess client base and market share of the industry.

Associations in this industry may use the survey results to monitor their industry's growth and to inform their members about industry trends.

Investors will be able to consult key data on the industry's performance, which could result in better access to investment capital, particularly for smaller businesses.

Students may use the survey results to better understand the film and video industry for research purposes and to make informed decisions about whether to undertake careers in the associated trades.

Business and government analysts will better understand this industry and react to trends and patterns. Governments also need accurate data on all industries to produce statistics on national production, such as the GDP. These are used to monitor business cycles and promote an efficient, competitive economy. Survey results also contribute to statistics on provincial/territorial economies. These are the basis for calculating each province and territory's fair share of federal-provincial transfer payments for health, education and social programs.

How will this survey benefit my business unit?

The final results will provide a profile for your industry as a whole, which can be used to compare your business unit's performance against totals for the industry. Even if you don't use the results directly, your participation contributes to measuring the economic health of your industry, your province/territory and your country. This information benefits all citizens.

I do not understand the definitions used in the questionnaire. What should I do?

Please consult the Reporting Guide for definitions of terms and instructions for completing the questionnaire. If the guide does not provide the information you are looking for, please call us at our toll-free number: 1-800-972-9692.

When will the results be available?

Results of the 2011 survey will be released in The Daily in the spring of 2013.

Consult Facts and figures for more data and analysis from this survey.