Oshawa Business Retention and Expansion (BR+E) Program Survey

The purpose of the BR+E Survey is to gain valuable insight from Oshawa-based businesses to help shape economic development programs and support services. Through the BR+E Program, we aim to connect with businesses, understand any immediate concerns, and deliver insights that support their growth in the short and long term. The survey should take you approximately 10 minutes to complete.

The Oshawa BR+E Program leverages the Region of Durham Annual Business Count Survey (2023) and is divided into four sections: 1). General Business Information, 2). Business Trajectory, 3). Opportunities and Challenges, and 4). Next Steps.

We strongly encourage that the survey is taken by the business owners or the leadership staff.

All the mandatory fields required for the form submission are indicated by a "(required)" in the field name. However, we encourage you to respond to all the questions to help us understand your business more.

If you need to take this survey for more than one Oshawa-based business, you will need to visit the survey and submit again. Where possible, use a different email for each submission.

Confidentiality - We acknowledge that the information shared with us in this survey and any subsequent BR+E related meeting will remain confidential between the survey participant and the City of Oshawa Business and Economic Development Services. The high-level insights and trends from the survey will be shared with the City’s leadership and a broader network of external organizations to develop action plans that support the retention and expansion of businesses in Oshawa. The City of Oshawa Business and Economic Development Services will not share your business name and contact information with external organizations without your consent.

This form may contain personal information as defined under the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act. This information is collected under the legal authority of the Municipal Act, 2001, S.O. 2001 c.25, as amended. This information will be used and maintained by the City of Oshawa for business retention and expansion. Questions regarding this collection may be directed to the City’s Information Access and Privacy Officer at 905-436-3311

OFN: 511-0

General Business Information

First Name

Last Name

Job Title

We strongly encourage that the survey be taken by the business owners or the business leadership staff.

Contact Email (Required)*

Use email with your company's official domain name, if available

Organization Name (Required)*

Organization's Website URL

Please provide your organization's official website address

Local address in Oshawa (Number and Street)

Unit Number, if applicable

City

Postal Code

Please tell us whether your organization owns or leases the property at this location in Oshawa?

Lease

Own

Number of years in operation in Oshawa - Years Duration Calculator

Local (T4) employees, full-time or part-time (Required)*

Please provide employee count in Oshawa

Please provide the 2-digit industry NAICS code your business most associates with (Required)*

Click here for NAICS descriptions

Other Sector

Please provide an approximate annual revenue for your business (Required)*

Is your organization led in whole or in part by someone who belongs to any of the following groups?

Multiple selection allowed

If other, please mention groups here

Business Trajectory

In the next 3 years, do you foresee your business undertaking the following? (Required)*

Expansion - we plan to expand existing operations or workforce for future growth

Downsizing - we plan to reduce our footprint but maintain some operations

Holding Steady - No immediate requirement for growth

Selling - we plan to sell our business to another user

Closing - we plan to close our business completely

We're not sure/Prefer not to answer

Opportunities and Challenges

What areas of assistance are your topmost priorities/what are your biggest challenges right now? (Select as many as relevant)

Workforce and Talent

Human Resource Planning: Build recruitment processes, analyze organizational structure, and employee retention strategy

Hiring technical staff, including science, technology, engineering, mathematics or skilled trades workers

Hiring non-technical staff

Training skilled trades and technical staff

Training non-technical staff

Leadership development and executive coaching

Succession Planning

Create your Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) strategy

Financing and Capital Raising

Capital raising, including through venture capital, angel investment, or private equity

Financial Management: Financial planning, cash flow management, costing, and finance process improvement

Financing for technology, working capital, leasehold improvements, equipment, or real estate purchase

Get to know business incentive programs

Incentives under Oshawa's Community Incentive Programs

Intellectual Property-backed financing

Technology Financing: For consultation, software, hardware and other IT infrastructure

Quality and Regulations Compliance

Food safety certification for your business

Hazard analysis and critical control points certification

ISO certifications, including ISO14001 and ISO9001

Cybersecurity and privacy management compliance certification

Support with audits for building compliance for your business

Other regulatory compliance and certification (please mention below)

Please mention any other regulatory compliance or quality certification you need support with

Real Estate

Expansion at current business location

Relocation to another location within Oshawa

Relocation to another location outside Oshawa

Property graffiti and vandalism remediation

Enhance visual and functional aspects of your property in Oshawa

Issues with lease at existing locations in Oshawa

Human Resource Capability: Do you have staff dedicated to handle HR functions, including training and onboarding of new employees? (Required)*

List the top three positions you have the greatest challenge filling in your organization.

What are the top three skills and credentials that you would like your employees to have?

For skilled trades, do you hire and train apprentices?

Yes

If no, why?

Is there anything else the City of Oshawa can support you with?

Next Steps

Do we have permission to share your business name and contact with our support partners in order to support you better? (Required)
If no, we will only share high-level insights from this survey with our external partners to create generic support programming.
*

Are you interested in meeting a member of our team? (Required)
If yes, our team will contact you as soon as possible. Alternatively, you can reach out to us at business@oshawa.ca*

Would you like to receive regular newsletters from City of Oshawa Business and Economic Development Services?
Newsletters will go to the email ID you provided in this survey.

Would you like your business to be featured in the City of Oshawa Quarterly Business or Downtown Monthly newsletters?

Thank you for taking the survey.

Business and Economic Development Services

City Of Oshawa