From Surveys to Solutions: The Impact of Whitby’s Local Business Week
| It’s no secret that economic development professionals cannot effectively support the business community without engaging directly with business owners to understand their unique challenges and needs. However, connecting with business owners can be challenging due to their busy schedules and diverse needs. The Town of Whitby’s Local Business Week was an initiative designed to alleviate this challenge by providing a dedicated week for direct engagement, fostering meaningful connections, and gaining valuable insights into the issues facing Whitby’s local business community.
Whitby, Ontario, located in the heart of the Regional Municipality of Durham, boasts a robust business landscape with over 2,200 businesses. During the inaugural Whitby Local Business Week, held from June 17 to 21, 2024, Town of Whitby Council, staff, and representatives from external partner organisations such as the Business Advisory Centre of Durham and Chamber of Commerce hit the streets in several of Whitby’s core business areas. They met in person with local businesses to survey and collect feedback on the current state of doing business in Whitby. In one week, more than 230 businesses were surveyed across various sectors, including Whitby’s four key economic sectors: Advanced Manufacturing, Downtowns and Lifestyle, Information and Communication Technology, and Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services. This vastly surpassed the team’s initial goal of surveying 120 businesses throughout the week. The survey was created based on feedback gathered from a smaller pool of participants through Whitby’s Business Retention and Expansion (BRE) program. In short, staff wanted a clearer understanding of whether the challenges raised in BRE meetings were widespread and relevant to a larger scope of businesses in Whitby. Through the survey and further conversations with business owners, staff recruitment and retention were the most significant issues identified. Staff have used this feedback from the business community to guide future initiatives, including the creation of a Whitby Job Fair this September 14, 2024, in partnership with the Whitby Chamber of Commerce and other various stakeholders. The 43% of participants who indicated they’d be interested in participating in a job fair have been contacted with information on how to get involved. Efforts are underway to connect with the 57% of businesses who indicated they’d like a future meeting with the economic development team. This follow-up aims to foster ongoing dialogue and collaboration, ensuring that the initiatives implemented are aligned with the real-time needs of the business community. By maintaining these connections, Whitby’s economic development team can continue to support businesses in overcoming challenges, leveraging opportunities, and driving sustainable growth. In conclusion, the success of Whitby’s Local Business Week highlights the importance of direct engagement between economic development professionals and business owners. By surpassing initial survey goals and identifying key issues such as staff recruitment and retention, the Town of Whitby has demonstrated a commitment to understanding and addressing the needs of its business community. With plans for future engagements and initiatives like the upcoming Job Fair, Whitby is well-positioned to support its businesses and enhance its reputation as a top-rated place to do business. |
