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Town of Sylvan Lake checks in with local businesses with new survey

Business Resilience Survey will help the Town create an economic recovery plan following COVID-19
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The Town of Sylvan Lake has launched a community-based business survey to assess local needs during the current pandemic.

The Town, along with the Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Alberta, worked together to create a 10-minute survey which will help the Town better understand the difficulties the local business community is facing because of COVID-19.

Amanda Mercer, economic development officer with the Town, says the survey looks at more than just financial lose.

“We want to understand how they are doing beyond financials. We want to know about their labour force, if they have had to layoff employees and if they plan to hire them back,” Mercer said.

Mercer says the survey is looking to understand the wide range of impacts the virus outbreak has had on local businesses.

“Each business is different and they may be seeing impacts that are different from another. This could be related to supply chain, foreclosures, changes in how they do business or any number of things.”

The data collected from the survey will be put to use to create a recovery plan to help local businesses.

In addition, Mercer says the survey will also help local businesses right now. By knowing what issues and concerns are facing local businesses, Mercer will be able to help connect them with the right resources.

She says there are many resources available to business owners during the COVID-19 outbreak.

“I get updates and information about the evolving resources available, but a business owner may not know what is out there. With the survey I can connect them with the right resources right now,” she said.

The survey will help Mercer understand what specific needs and supports individual businesses are needing during the current health crisis.

She says education about available resources is an important part to keeping local businesses operational during the outbreak, or to ensure they reopen when they can after.

The survey is available for business owners to take online at www.sylvanlake.ca/Business-Resource-Centre