By rdnewsNOW staff

survey says...

Frustration in local business community: Chamber survey

Sep 25, 2019 | 4:06 PM

The Red Deer & District Chamber of Commerce says its recent survey on the state of business conditions in central Alberta revealed a lot of frustration among local businesses.

Respondents to the survey launched on Sept. 6 were asked how their business is affected by government policy, crime, and the economy. Also included were questions regarding management of the city, and future expectations for economic growth.

Chamber CEO Rick More says the survey results confirm what they’ve suspected and heard from the local business community.

“While the economy is clearly the largest impediment to business growth, the City of Red Deer must remain focused on allowing our businesses to be competitive and grow,” said More.

“We’ll continue to work with Council and the City Manager on solutions that allow the city to utilize the levers it has available to alleviate the financial and regulatory strain affecting the success of our business community and our ability to retain and attract new businesses.”

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In their survey, the Chamber says the overall state of the economy was identified as having the largest impact on businesses growth followed closely by red tape and regulations, taxation, and crime.

Compared to one year ago, 74 per cent of respondents said business conditions in Red Deer have gotten worse and looking ahead a year. Only 15 per cent are expecting business conditions to improve with 35 per cent expecting them to remain about the same and 40 per cent think they’ll get worse.

(Source: Red Deer and District Chamber of Commerce)

When asked whether they expect their own business over the next 12 months, the Chamber says 21 per cent of respondents expect to grow, 58 per cent think it’ll stay about the same and 20 per cent think their business will contract.

“The results strongly demonstrated frustrations with the cost and regulatory burden of doing business,” the Chamber says in a release.

A strong majority of 69 per cent of survey respondents think businesses outside the City of Red Deer have a competitive advantage due to less regulatory burden and red tape, the Chamber notes, and just 26 per cent think business permits are approved by the city in a timely fashion.

On the topic of budgeting and taxation, 26 per cent felt businesses within the city get good value for the property taxes they pay and 27 per cent approve of how the city manages its budget.