(file photo/Vernon Matters Staff)

By Liam Verster

Business Outlook Surveys

Annual Business Walk found state of business stable on an annual basis

Dec 10, 2024 | 11:28 AM

Business has remained relatively steady in Vernon.

As part of Canadian Small Business Week, seven teams comprised of city council members, staff and economic development organizations, took to the streets and visited local businesses on October 22, 2024.

During the Business Walks, the teams were able to visit 75 businesses, and have 69 local owners fill out surveys.

The surveys showed the state of business, such as revenues, was relatively unchanged from the year prior, with 77 per cent saying business was steady to increasing.

The surveys found the 69 owners were employing 703 workers, including 390 full time positions, 180 part timers, and 133 seasonal/temporary positions.

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About a quarter of respondents said they hired an immigrant worker in the past year, with over two-thirds of those hires coming through the Rural and Northern Immigration Pilot program.

The top complaint from respondents was location (50 per cent), followed by clientele, and availability of local services.

The biggest challenges identified by owners was finding employees (38 per cent), followed by lack of customers, and financing.

The report added businesses were also dissatisfied with parking and public safety, while businesses on 25th Avenue raised concerns about semi-truck parking and how it affects business visibility and accessibility.

Looking ahead to 2025, respondents were mostly positive, with 61 per cent stating they expect to see revenues increase from this year, and only two per cent saying they expect revenues to decline.

The findings of the survey were presented to Vernon City Council at the regular meeting Monday, Dec. 9.