Canadian Survey on Business Conditions, fourth quarter of 2024

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

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

Approximately how long ago was this business or organization first established?
- 2 years ago or less
  Established in 2024, 2023, or 2022.
- 3 to 10 years ago
  Established in 2014 to 2021.
- 11 to 20 years ago
  Established in 2004 to 2013.
- More than 20 years ago
  Established in 2003 or earlier.
- 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 or services offered by this business or organization
- Increase
- Stay about the same
- Decrease
- Not applicable
- Don't know
Selling price of goods or services offered by this business or organization
- Increase
- Stay about the same
- Decrease
- Not applicable
- Don't know
Demand for goods or services offered by this business or organization
- Increase
- Stay about the same
- Decrease
- Not applicable
- Don't know
Imports of goods or services
- Increase
- Stay about the same
- Decrease
- Not applicable
- Don't know
Exports of goods or services
- 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
Lack of financial resources
Technological limitations
Regulatory constraints
Cost of insurance
Transportation costs
Obtaining financing
Increasing competition
Challenges related to exporting or selling goods and services to customers in other provinces or territories
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 two 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, which obstacle is expected to be the most challenging 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
Lack of financial resources
Technological limitations
Regulatory constraints
Cost of insurance
Transportation costs
Obtaining financing
Increasing competition
Challenges related to exporting or selling goods and services to customers in other provinces or territories
Challenges related to exporting or selling goods and services outside of Canada
Maintaining sufficient cash flow or managing debt
Other obstacle

Flow condition: If “Rising cost of inputs” is selected in Q5, go to Q7. Otherwise, go to Q8.

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

Select all that apply.

Rising cost of labour
Rising cost of capital
Rising cost of energy
Rising cost of raw materials
OR
Don't know

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 Q11.

Display 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, display in Q8.

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

Flow condition: If “Government agency” was selected in Q1, go to Q12. Otherwise, go to Q11.

Display condition: If “Non-profit organization” is selected in Q1, do not display “Transfer the business” or “Sell the business” in Q11.

Expectations for the next year

11. 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 location within the province or territory
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, or expanding online sales capacity
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
Reduce the physical space of this business or organization
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

Languages of services

12. Over the last 12 months, in which languages did this business or organization provide the following services or perform the following activities?

Website

Select all that apply.

English
French
Other language
OR
Not applicable
OR
Don't know

Marketing and advertising

Select all that apply.

English
French
Other language
OR
Not applicable
OR
Don't know

Outdoor signage

Select all that apply.

English
French
Other language
OR
Not applicable
OR
Don't know

Indoor signage

Select all that apply.

English
French
Other language
OR
Not applicable
OR
Don't know

Customer service

Select all that apply.

English
French
Other language
OR
Not applicable
OR
Don't know

Sales

Select all that apply.

English
French
Other language
OR
Not applicable
OR
Don't know

External communications

Include media releases.

Select all that apply.

English
French
Other language
OR
Not applicable
OR
Don't know

Internal communications

Select all that apply.

English
French
Other language
OR
Not applicable
OR
Don't know

Languages of work

13. What percentage of employees in this business or organization is required to be bilingual in English and French?

If the business or organization does not require bilingual employees, please enter '0'.

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

Percentage of employees required to be bilingual in English and French:

Labour disruptions

14. Are any of the employees of this business or organization unionized?

Yes
- What percentage of the employees of this business or organization are unionized?
  - Percentage of employees that are unionized:
  - OR
  - Don't know
No
Don't know

Flow condition: If "Yes" is selected in Q14, go to Q15. Otherwise, go to Q16.

15. Over the last 12 months, has this business' or organization's operations been affected by an internal labour disruption?

e.g., strike, lockout, work-to-rule

Yes
- Over the last 12 months, which of the following labour disruptions affected this business' or organization's operations?
  Select all that apply.
  - Strike
  - Lockout
  - Work-to-rule
  - Other type of labour disruption
    - Specify other type of labour disruption:
  - OR
  - Don't know
No
Don't know

Flow condition: If "Yes" is selected in Q15, go to Q16. Otherwise, go to Q17.

16. To what extent did the labour disruptions in the last 12 months impact this business' or organization's operations?

Not at all
To a minor extent
To a moderate extent
To a large extent
Don't know

Flow condition: If any of "Export or sell goods outside of Canada", "Export or sell services outside of Canada", "Import and buy goods from outside of Canada" or "Import or buy services from outside of Canada" is selected in Q3, go to Q17. Otherwise, go to Q18.

Global events and impact on trade

17. Does this business or organization expect its trade with other countries to be impacted positively or negatively due to events in other parts of the world over the next 12 months?

Consider positive or negative impacts due to conflicts, tariffs, environmental regulations, changes in government, famines, etc.

Exclude natural environmental issues or natural disasters, such as storms, earthquakes, or wildfires.

Yes
No
Don't know

Flow condition: If "Yes" is selected in Q17, go to Q18. Otherwise, go to Q19.

18. For events affecting each of the following parts of the world, what is the anticipated impact on trade conducted by this business or organization?

United States
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know
Mexico
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know
Central and South America
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know
United Kingdom
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know
Europe
Exclude the United Kingdom
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know
China
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know
Asia and Middle East
Exclude China
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know
Africa
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know
Oceania
e.g., Australia and New Zealand
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know
Other region
- Positive impact
- No impact
- Negative impact
- No trade conducted with this region
- Don't know

Labour and wages

19. Over the next 12 months, how does this business or organization expect its average wages to change?

Increase
- Over the next 12 months, at what rate does this business or organization expect to increase its average wages?
  - At a slower rate than last year
  - At a similar rate as last year
  - At a faster rate than last year
  - Don't know
Stay the same
Decrease
Don't know

Flow condition: If "Increase" is selected in Q19, go to Q20. Otherwise, go to Q21.

20. Over the next 12 months, what are the factors expected to influence decisions about average wage increases for this business or organization?

Select all that apply.

Current rate of inflation
Expected rate of inflation
Labour market tightness
Labour productivity
Minimum wage legislation
Capacity to attract labour
Retaining talent
Other factor
- Specify other factor:
OR
Don't know

Interest rates

21. Over the last 12 months, what is the level of impact interest rates have had on this business or organization?

No impact
Low impact
Medium impact
High impact
Don't know

Flow condition: If "Low impact", "Medium impact", or "High impact" is selected in Q21, go to Q22. Otherwise, go to Q23.

22. Which of the following has been most impacted by interest rates for this business or organization?

New borrowing costs
Cost of existing debt
Capital expenditures
Sales of products and services offered by this business or organization
Financing for customers
Exchange rates
Investments made by this business or organization
Don't know

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
  - Don't know
Don't know

Debt

24. Over the next three months, does this business or organization plan to apply to a financial institution 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?
  Answer based on this business' or organization's ability, even if there are no plans 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 work on-site or work remotely?

Exclude employees that are primarily engaged in providing driving or delivery services or employees that primarily work at client premises, and contractors.

Working on-site refers to working from an office or job site, while working remotely refers to an employee working from home or another location of the employee's choosing, other than their regular on-site location.

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.

If the percentages are unknown, leave the question blank.

Work on-site exclusively
Percentage of employees:
Work on-site most hours
Percentage of employees:
Work approximately the same number of hours on-site and remotely
i.e., 2-3 days per week on site
Percentage of employees:
Work remotely most hours
Percentage of employees:
Work remotely exclusively
Percentage of employees:

Future outlook

26. 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 "Private sector business" is selected in Q1, go to Q27. 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.

27. What percentage of this business or organization is owned by each of the following groups?

Provide your best estimate rounded to the nearest percentage.
If the business or organization is not owned by anyone that falls under that group, please enter "0".

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by women?
Percentage of business or organization owned by women:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by First Nations, Métis or Inuit peoples?
Percentage of business or organization owned by First Nations, Métis or Inuit peoples:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by immigrants to Canada?
Percentage of business or organization owned by immigrants to Canada:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by persons with a disability?
Percentage of business or organization owned by persons with a disability:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

What percentage of this business or organization is owned by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or two-spirited (LGBTQ2) people?
Percentage of business or organization owned by LGBTQ2 people:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

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.
Percentage of business or organization owned by visible minorities:
OR
Prefer not to say
OR
Don't know

Flow condition: If more than 50% of this business or organization is owned by members of visible minorities, go to Q28. Otherwise, go to "Contact person".

28. 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