Innovative Survey Reveals Critical Information About Ottawa Businesses
Innovative Survey Reveals Critical Information About Ottawa Businesses and the Potential Impact on City of Ottawa Decisions Post-COVID
For Immediate Release: April 29th, 2021. In a ground-breaking survey by Statistics Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, important details have been revealed about Ottawa-Gatineau’s very unique pandemic business reality and what sets it apart from other Canadian cities.
President and CEO of the Ottawa Board of Trade (OBoT) Sueling Ching says, “Looking at the data, it’s very clear that we need to make decisions about the future of the Capital region with a deep understanding of our reality. Having the information is an important first step in advance of Friday’s City Building Summit: Ottawa NEXT.”
Some of the key points from the survey of more than 15,000 Canadian businesses:
• 29% of Ottawa businesses plan to offer a remote work option to their employees permanently. It makes the Capital region one of the most “remote inclined” areas in Canada. That has an impact on everything from transportation to talent recruitment
• 77% of Canadian business owners have no current plan to sell or close
• 50% of businesses in Arts, Entertainment, Recreation, Accommodation or Food Services report more than a 30% drop in revenues over 2021. • Business formation in Ottawa is now growing faster than business closures
This information, and many other key points, will be an important piece in the City Building Summit Friday. Participants will use these statistics to have informed conversations on everything from small business support to ease of doing business and future mobility needs.
City Building Summit
Friday April 30th
8:00-9:00 Networking – Hosted by RGA & OCOBIA
9:00-9:20 Welcome from OBoT and OBJ
• Welcome from Catherine McKenna
• Welcome from Lisa MacLeod
• Welcome from Mayor Watson
9:20-9:25 Introduction of Jennifer Keesmaat
9:25-10:00 Keynote - Jennifer Keesmaat - Own Your City
10:00-10:10 Q&A with Jennifer Keesmaat
10:10-10:20 Networking break
10:20-10:55 Alain Miguelez - Future State: Ottawa in 2046
(Introduction from Regional Group)
10:55-11:55 High Impact Projects Panel Introduced by WSP
Court Curry - ByWard Market
Tobi Nussbaum - Activating the Capital's Shorelines
Sonya Shorey - Area XO
Jeff Westeinde – Zibi
11:55-12:00 Morning wrap-up by McMillan LLP
12:00-12:10 Networking break
12:10-12:15 Introduction of Frank Cuypers by Michael Crockatt
12:15-12:55 Keynote-Frank Cuypers - Branding Ottawa is more than the Ottawa Brand
12:55-1:05 Q&A with Frank Cuypers
1:05 Karen Brownrigg, Ottawa Ambassadors
1:10-1:55 Economic Growth Panel Introduced by Ottawa Board of Trade
James Baker - Talent
Sonya Shorey - Tech
Catherine Callary - Tourism
John Manconi – Transportation
1:55 Conclusion and networking
Ching says, “As the Voice for Business, OBoT has been advocating for all businesses since the pandemic began, as we have for 160 years. We have sat at key policy tables to get help where needed. With this report we now have data to support what we’ve heard consistently and that’s that small businesses in the hardest hit sectors are paying the highest price. Entrepreneurs are the backbone of our economy and we need to support them. But, we also need to look past the pandemic because it has dramatically changed our business community and we need to adapt, very quickly.”
For More Information, and to book OBoT CEO Sueling Ching for an interview:
Kimothy Walker 613.859. 3753
KimothyAWalker@gmail.com (personal and confidential)