A survey of local businesses is providing a snapshot of government services in the community.
Powell River Regional Economic Development Society (PRREDS) has provided results from a survey based on interviews with 160 businesses as part of its business retention and expansion program. Scott Randolph, PRREDS manager, gave an overview of the program and survey at the January 5 City of Powell River committee-of-the-whole meeting. PRREDS launched the initiative last fall in partnership with Powell River Chamber of Commerce and Community Futures Powell River.
Already, the program has generated 55 referrals, which are action items that PRREDS has dealt with or referred to other agencies.
Randolph said he considers the results a good sample of the community. He expects the program will have interviewed over 200 businesses by the end of January. “The program has provided an excellent glimpse at how the business community is faring and their views on services and the future of the local economy,” he said.
Not surprisingly, BC Ferries received low marks, with 43 per cent of respondents not happy. “A lot of that is fares,” Randolph said. “In some cases, it’s service as well.”
The city also received low marks from businesses. While 39 per cent had no opinion, 35 per cent thought the city’s development approval process was poor to very poor. “This has been brought up many times and it’s not a surprise,” said Randolph. “Let me be straight on this, it’s perceptions of business. Some of it is actual experience, some of it is perceptions on how that system operates.”
In rating local government, about 40 per cent ranked it as poor and 30 per cent as fair. “The results aren’t all that great,” said Randolph. “Fair to poor is what they think of in regard to business climate.”
About 40 per cent ranked the local tax structure as poor, while 25 per cent gave it a fair grade.
When asked about economic development services, 32 per cent of the businesses ranked it as good. “Generally people have been happy with what’s been done,” said Randolph.
Most of the businesses surveyed thought the local business climate was fair to poor. However, 83 per cent said there were barriers to growth. “I can tell you the majority of the comments are about access,” said Randolph. “It’s transportation. They really see that as the biggest issue and we agree with them.”
Businesses were also asked to compare the local business climate today with five years ago. “Some are evenly split on better and no change,” said Randolph. “About 50 per cent of them said it’s worse today, it’s gone downhill from where we used to be. It’s not a surprise.”
However, there is some optimism in the business community. “In regard to forecasting the local business climate in the next five years, 44 per cent said they think it’s going to be a lot better,” said Randolph.
Mayor Dave Formosa asked how many businesses are for sale. “The amount of businesses that are for sale in Powell River seems to be staggering,” he said.
Jennifer Salisbury, who has been contracted by PRREDS to work on the program, said of the 160 businesses interviewed so far, 38 are for sale. At the end of 2011, about a dozen of the businesses interviewed had closed, she said. There are about 450 businesses in the entire area.
One area where businesses need assistance is in succession planning. “I have interviewed personally over 100 businesses since September and only one has had an actual formal succession plan,” Salisbury said. “They are not thinking of succession planning in this town.”
Salisbury refers any succession issues or people who are thinking of retiring to community futures, which has launched a project, Exit Opportunities, to help small business owners connect with young entrepreneurs.
