November 17, 2001 Volume 4, Number 10
CONTENTS
* Introduction - Editor's Comments
* What's New at www.gdsourcing.ca
* Statistics Canada releases
* Counting Competitors
* Market Research Handbook 2001
* Small Business Stats Facts
RETURN
TO ARCHIVES
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INTRODUCTION - EDITOR'S COMMENTS
Welcome to this issue of the BR Newsletter.
Only a few more days before the 2001 Small Business Information Expo!
GDSourcing will have a booth at this year's show so if you are in the
Toronto area drop by and visit with Shawna or myself.
The Expo is located at the International Centre, 6900 Airport Road,
Mississauga, Ontario.
It runs for three days over the weekend:
Friday, November 23, 2001: 10 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Saturday, November 24, 2001: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday, November 25, 2001: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
For more details see:
http://www.smallbusinesscanada.ca/
We plan to have the following products available to view and purchase:
- Researching a Small Business in Canada (publication and CD-ROM),
- Financial Ratios by Industry for Small Businesses
(including a free data update as soon as it is released Dec/Jan)
- Canadian Market Estimates
(including a free data update as soon as it is released in Jan/Feb)
- Market Research Handbook 2001 (20% discount off cover price)
- Spending Patterns in Canada (20% discount off cover price).
I will also be presenting a short seminar - "Finding free and low-cost
Canadian data" - on Friday morning at 11:15.
This year's show is presented in conjunction with Computer Fest. For
the price of one admission you get into both shows!
See ya there!
In other news, we have released the Oct 2001 StatsPack of Canadian
Internet Statistics. You can download it FREE of charge at the Canadian
Internet DataPoint:
https://www.gdsourcing.ca/gdsinternet.htm
We have also introduced a new FREE service whereby we will send you an
e-mail as soon as new Canadian data on the Internet is released. You can
subscribe and unsubscribe at:
https://www.gdsourcing.ca/gdsinternet.htm
The 2001 edition of the Market Research Handbook is now available. It
is an excellent sourcebook for up-to-date Stats Can market data. We are
offering a 20% discount off the cover price ($100 instead of the retail
price of $125). You can order online or offline. For more information see
our web site at:
https://www.gdsourcing.ca/MarketResearchHandbook.htm
Also see the article below.
Finally, I thought I would quickly add in here (because I did not know
where else to put it) a helpful feature of the Google search engine.
Many reports and articles on the Internet are now only available in PDF
(Adobe Acrobat) format. While this allows complete reports to be easily
published electronically, it can sometimes slow down your research efforts
while you wait for off-topic PDF files to load in your browser.
When I research online I regularly use two computers. One doesn't mind
PDF files but the other (Old Faithful) is not particularly happy when I
ask it to load them.
In this case, if I use the Google search engine (
http://www.google.com ) it
automatically creates an HTML version of any PDF files it comes across
that are relevant to my search criteria.
Below the page title in the Google results list you will see the
following information: "File Format: PDF/Adobe Acrobat - View as HTML". By
clicking on the "view as HTML" link you will be able to get a quick
glimpse at the pdf file to see whether or not it contains the type of data
you are looking for. If it does, you can then take the time to download.
If it doesn't, you can quickly move on.
Just a helpful pointer in case your computer is like mine and is not a
top-of-the-line-just-released-yesterday model!
I hope you find this issue helpful.
Sincerely,
John White
Editor
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WHAT'S NEW AT www.gdsourcing.ca - DOCs CORPs
and SMALL BUSINESS
The following web sites were added to the GDSourcing index over the
summer GDSourcing is a reference point for free Canadian statistics
on-line.
The College of Family Physicians of Canada
http://www.cfpc.ca/
GDSourcing Site Summary:
https://www.gdsourcing.ca/works/CFPC.htm
- 2001 National Family Physician Workforce Survey
Canadian Corporate Information
http://www.corporateinformation.com
GDSourcing Site Summary:
https://www.gdsourcing.ca/works/CanCorp.htm
- This site provides links to corporate data and company profiles as
well as overall industry performance figures and related associations and
organizations
Grant Thornton LLP
http://www.grantthornton.ca/
GDSourcing Site Summary:
https://www.gdsourcing.ca/works/Grant.htm
- Juggling priorities: survey results on the priorities, challenges and
trends affecting owner-managers of Canadian companies today
RETURN TO TABLE OF CONTENTS
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STATISTICS CANADA RELEASES
The following statistics were release by Statistics Canada over the
last three weeks. We have listed those releases we feel are of the most
interest to Canadian entrepreneurs.
Very few of these statistics are available on-line. The URL listed is a
direct link to the press release associated with the data. It provides
contact and ordering information.
If you want to purchase any publication related to these releases
please see our web site:
https://www.gdsourcing.ca/works/StatCan.htm
We offer a 20% discount on most Stats Can publications and a 10%
discount on Stats Can electronic products. For more information you can
reach us at [email protected].
Put "StatsCan" in the subject line of your e-mail.
We have identified below which releases have a FREE publication
associated with them.
CHARITY / NON PROFIT
Self-Sufficiency Project 1998 (preliminary)
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011105/d011105b.htm
COMMUNICATIONS
Telecommunications statistics 1999
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011029/d011029c.htm
CONSTRUCTION
Flows and stocks of fixed residential capital 2000
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011101/d011101e.htm
ECONOMIC INDICATORS
Provincial gross domestic product 2000
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011030/d011030a.htm
Input-output tables
Provincial input-output tables for 1997 (revised data) and 1998
(preliminary data), as well as the interprovincial and international trade
flows for the same period
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011031/d011031d.htm
EDUCATION
University enrolment 1999/2000
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011108/d011108a.htm
School performance of children from immigrant families 1994 to 1998
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011114/d011114a.htm
(Free publication)
ENVIRONMENT
Environmental protection expenditures in the business sector, 1998
http://www.statcan.ca/english/IPS/Data/16F0006XIE.htm
(Free publication)
GOVERNMENT
Public sector statistics 2000/01
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011109/d011109e.htm
JUSTICE
Homicide statistics 2000
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011031/d011031b.htm
MARKET RESEARCH
Market Research Handbook 2001
https://www.gdsourcing.ca/MarketResearchHandbook.htm
(Stats Can Price $125 - GDSourcing Price $100)
Population estimates by age and sex July 1, 2001
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011030/d011030c.htm
Food consumption in Canada, Part II, 2002
http://www.statcan.ca/english/IPS/Data/32-230-XIB.htm
(Stats Can Price $35 - GDSourcing Price $28)
Family income 1999
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011106/d011106b.htm
Marriages 1998
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011115/d011115d.htm
MANUFACTURING
Business Conditions Survey: Manufacturing industries October 2001
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011101/d011101a.htm
PRIMARY SECTOR
Canada's mineral production, preliminary estimates, 2000
http://www.statcan.ca/english/IPS/Data/26-202-XIB.htm
(Free publication)
TRANSPORTATION
International travel 2000
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011109/b011109a.htm
WORKPLACE
Workplace and Employee Survey: Job vacancies 1999
http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/011101/d011101b.htm
(See related free publications listed at above address)
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COUNTING COMPETITORS
The starting point of any analysis of market share potential or
competitive opposition is to first determine the overall number of
competitors you have.
The most comprehensive tally of establishments in Canada is the
Statistics Canada database Canadian Business Patterns. It is updated
semi-annually and contains data that reflect counts of business
establishments by:
- nine employment size ranges, including "Indeterminate"(businesses
with no full-time employees);
- five geography groupings: province/territory, census division, census
subdivision, census metropolitan area and census agglomeration;
- two industry classifications: Standard Industrial Classification
(4-digit level) and North American Industry Classification System (6-digit
level).
The data is based on Canada Customs & Revenue Agency Business Numbers
and includes all Canadian businesses that meet at least one of the
following criteria:
1. have an employee workforce for which they submit payroll remittances
2. have a minimum of $30,000 in annual sales
3. are incorporated under a federal or provincial act and have filed a
federal corporate income tax form in the last three years.
While the data is comprehensive it can be quite expensive. The entire
database by geographic level is priced as follows:
Canada and provinces: $150,
Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations: $400,
Census Divisions: $600,
Census Subdivisions: $900,
Census Divisions and Subdivisions: $1500
Full CD: $2000
If you just want one industry for a local area, custom tabulations
start at $150.00.
If your research budget is slim, before you consider purchasing any
Stats Can figures, check to see if your local government or a local
business development organization has already purchased and published them
for you. This data is used extensively by other organizations and can be
found in a variety of publications. For example the Toronto Business and
Market Guide published by the Toronto Board of Trade includes detailed
business counts for the GTA by industry and employee-size groupings.
Highlight data from this database is also included in the Market
Research Handbook 2001. It covers total number of businesses by 2-digit
SIC-E for Census Metropolitan Areas and Census Agglomerations (small
cities). At a national level it also includes detail by employee-size
groupings.
Data at a national summary level is also available free of charge at
the Statistics Canada web site:
http://www.statcan.ca/english/Pgdb/Economy/Economic/econ18.htm
While the Statistics Canada data is probably the most comprehensive
available there are other sources for business counts. One source that we
particularly like (because it is free) is at the InfoUSA/InfoCanada web
site:
http://www.infousa.com
This is a business directory/mailing list company. Their data is
primarily based on business telephone listings. If a business has a
business telephone line they are included in the database.
At the above web address, click on the section "business sales leads
and mailing lists" then click on "start building my Canadian prospect
list". The online program allows you to select the following criteria:
- line of business (Yellow Page Heading, Major Industry Group, or SIC
(U.S.)),
- employee-size,
- sales volume size,
- geography (city, postal code, metropolitan/agglomeration areas).
The results page identifies the number of businesses that meet your
criteria in their database and the actual price to purchase the related
mailing list. NB: if you choose SIC as your industry classification type,
you can search for businesses that have your industry code as either their
primary or secondary line of business.
You can use this database to further segment businesses in your
industry by simply adjusting the search criteria you enter. (e.g. first
search on all florists in your market, then search on the number of
florists with less than 5 employees to determine the % of florists in this
employee-size range). (Of course, if you purchase the mailing list you
will get those details as well as the company names and addresses.)
While it is possible to browse for your industry in both the Statistics
Canada and Info Canada databases, it is best if you know your industry
classification code ahead of time. Note that the US SIC codes used by
InfoCanada are different from the Canadian SIC codes used by Statistics
Canada.
The easiest way to determine your Canadian industry codes is to use the
search feature at the Statistics Canada web site: http://stds.statcan.ca/english/industry/searchdatabase.htm
If you prefer, you can also browse the entire structure of both
classification systems:
SIC-E:
http://www.statcan.ca/english/concepts/industry.htm
NAICS:
http://www.statcan.ca/english/concepts/industry.htm
The InfoCanada web site also has an industry search feature. You can
either search by Yellow Pages heading or by U.S. SIC code. When you choose
SIC as your industry category you will see a link to an Excel file that
provides you with an alphabetical listing of US SIC codes.
You can also use the following U.S. government resource for help
identifying your U.S. SIC code:
http://www.osha.gov/oshstats/sicser.html
Obviously more is required when assessing market share and competitive
challenges than merely identifying the number of competitors you have but
without knowing the size of the "world" it is difficult to accurately "map
it."
Use the above sources as a starting point to determine the overall size
of your competition.
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MARKET RESEARCH HANDBOOK 2001
The 2001 edition of the Market Research Handbook is now available. This
annual Stats Can best seller is an authoritative sourcebook of
socio-economic information reflecting key characteristics of local and
national markets in Canada.
It is a comprehensive compendium of demographic, economic, expenditure
and business data. It presents profiles of key industries including the
small business sector, as well as of consumers in all provinces and 45
major cities. It also includes projections of population, households,
families and selected economic indicators.
The Handbook is a frequently used reference tool at GDSourcing. The
extensive data tables provide easy access to fundamental market
information such as population projections, retail sales, business
bankruptcies by industry, business counts, consumer/industrial price
indexes, financial ratios by industry, disposable income, labour force
data etc. This data allows us to create a quick sketch of a client's
market and helps us to develop our research strategy. It is the "launch
pad" for nearly all of our HPS Profiles.
What is particularly useful is that at the bottom of each table contact
information is provided so that you can telephone the appropriate
Statistics Canada division directly to find out what further information
is available and to clarify data definitions. We often use the Handbook as
if it were a Stats Can catalogue with samples.
All of the tables represent the most current Stats Can data available.
In most cases this means data covering 1999 or 2000. One serious exception
is the 1996 Census data that is used for some of the local demographic
detail. While this data is helpful, its usefulness is starting to wane.
Unfortunately, detailed 2001 Census data will probably not be released
until 2003.
While the Handbook provides many insights into local markets, you will
need to consult other sources to complete your local demographic profile.
We find that as an overview sourcebook the Financial Post Canadian Markets
publication is the best companion to the Market Research Handbook.
Together these two resources provide a solid start to any market research
project.
Both can be found in most major libraries and local business
development centres.
We are happy to be able to offer the Market Research Handbook 2001 at a
20% discount off the cover price. (Stats Can price $125. Our price $100)
For more information on the Market Research Handbook or to order a copy
(online or off), please see our site at:
https://www.gdsourcing.ca/MarketResearchHandbook.htm
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SMALL BUSINESS STATS FACTS
Each Business Researcher Newsletter ends with a collection of five
statistics that every entrepreneur should be aware of.
1. What issue consumes the most amount of time for Canadian
owner-managers?
Employees
Source: Grant Thornton LLP (Oct 2001)
2. What is the top issue owner-managers would spend more time on if
they could?
Business Growth
Source: Grant Thornton LLP (Oct 2001)
3. What percentage of Canadian owner-managers would encourage others
to start their own business?
68%
Source: Grant Thornton LLP (Oct 2001)
4. What percentage of owner-manager businesses in Canada have not yet
focused significant attention on e-commerce opportunities?
80%
Source: Grant Thornton LLP (Oct 2001)
5. How many self-employed workers are there in Canada?
2.32 million (2nd Q 2001 - down 4% from 2.42 million recorded for the
same quarter in 2000)
Source: Statistics Canada (Sept 2001)
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G D S O U R C I N G - R E S E A R C H & R E T R I E V A L
* www.gdsourcing.ca * [email protected] *
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