Economic Development Lethbridge releases ‘Brighter Together’ survey

Economic Development Lethbridge released the latest version of its Brighter Together survey. The questionnaire asks businesses which areas they need help with the most. As Ainsley O’Riley explains, the 2019 survey results could be vastly different from the current state of businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The results of the 2019 Better Together survey, showed that 76 percent of business owners in Lethbridge and the surrounding area felt positive about their overall business health. With 2021 being a year that is vastly different from 24 months ago, Economic Development Lethbridge, alongside the Lethbridge chamber of commerce are anticipating different answers.

“This really is our way to find that information from the businesses,” says director of investment attraction at Economic Development Lethbridge, Erin Crane.

“You go into it with some things…some assumptions, and then you leave with the data, with a whole different array that is very exciting,” adds CEO of the Lethbridge chamber of commerce, Cyndi Vos.

The survey will be released Thursday.  Of the 5,000 local businesses in the region, 143 answered the most recent survey.  A big goal for these groups is to have a larger response.  

Economic Development Lethbridge asks the same questions, in order to benchmark growth and make changes, while being able to target specific needs. They’ve also added additional questions for this year.

“We added three additional questions themed around pandemic based impacts as well. Obviously we know that’s been a major theme to the year. We do anticipate that perhaps had a result,” says market intelligence advisor at Economic Development Lethbridge, Mike Prociw.

The ‘Brighter Together’ survey will be available for three weeks.