# Text Descriptions

Figure 1: Role of respondents
| %
--- | ---
Owner/operator | 55%
Operations (e.g. supervisor, manager) | 13%
CEO, CFO, COO | 11%
Director (e.g. supervisor, manager) | 7%
Vice President | 5%
President | 4%
Other | 4%

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Figure 2: Familiarity with Company’s International Business Activities
| %
--- | ---
I am aware of my company's international business activities, but I am not directly involved | 21%
I am directly involved in my company's international business strategy | 28%
I am responsible for my company's international business strategy | 51%

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Figure 3: Length of Time Exporting
| %
--- | ---
Less than 2 years | 10%
Between 2 and 5 years | 19%
Between 6 and 10 years | 20%
More than 10 years | 50%

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Figure 4: Company Revenues
| %
--- | ---
Under $250,000 | 41%
$250,000 to less than $1 million | 26%
$1 million to less than $10 million | 24%
$10 million to less than $50 million | 6%
$50 million or more | 3%

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Figure 5: Industry/sector
| %
--- | ---
Professional, scientific and technical services | 27%
Information and cultural industries | 23%
Retail trade | 17%
Manufacturing | 12%
Transportation and warehousing | 8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 5%
Mining, oil and gas extraction | 4%
Accommodation and food services | 3%
Energy | 1%
Other | 1%

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Figure 6: Headquarter Location
| %
--- | ---
North | 1%
West | 44%
Ontario | 35%
Quebec | 15%
Atlantic | 4%

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Figure 7: Number of employees
| %
--- | ---
Under 5 | 46%
5-19 | 33%
20-49 | 8%
50-99 | 7%
100-199 | 1%
200-499 | 2%
500 and over | 2%

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Figure 8: Company Trade Activities
| %
--- | ---
Exporting services to foreign market(s) | 48%
Exporting goods to foreign market(s) | 48%
Importing goods or services from outside Canada | 43%
Engaged in a partnership or joint venture with a foreign company | 19%
Seeking R&D or technology partnership opportunities | 18%
Seeking international sources of project financing or venture capital | 16%
Licensing a product, brand or technology to a foreign organization | 8%
Licensing a product, brand or technology from a foreign company | 8%

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Figure 9: Export Markets
| %
--- | ---
Only to the U.S. | 29%
U.S. and other foreign markets | 59%
Foreign markets excluding the U.S. | 12%

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Figure 10: Current Export Markets
| %
--- | ---
North America | 71%
Europe | 67%
Asia and Pacific | 55%
Central and South America | 27%
Middle East and Africa | 22%
Other | 4%

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Figure 11: Current Export Markets: North America
| %
--- | ---
United States | 97%
Mexico | 24%

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Figure 12: Current Export Markets: Top European Destinations
| %
--- | ---
United Kingdom | 55%
France | 41%
Germany | 38%
Italy | 23%
Belgium | 19%
Ireland | 18%
Netherlands | 18%
Switzerland | 18%
Spain | 18%
Sweden | 16%
Austria | 15%
Greece | 14%
Portugal | 13%
Finland | 13%
Denmark | 12%
Russia | 11%

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Figure 13: Current Export Markets: Top Asia and Pacific Destinations
| %
--- | ---
Australia | 49%
China | 36%
Japan | 32%
New Zealand | 26%
Hong Kong, SAR | 20%
India | 20%
Taiwan | 17%
Korea, Republic | 13%
Singapore | 13%
Philippines | 12%
Thailand | 11%

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Figure 14: Current Export Markets: Top Central and South American Destinations
| %
--- | ---
Brazil | 42%
Chile | 26%
Argentina | 22%
Colombia | 22%
Trinidad and Tobago | 16%
Costa Rica | 16%
Jamaica | 16%
Panama | 14%
Dominican Republic | 13%
Barbados | 13%
Peru | 12%
Cuba | 12%
Venezuela | 11%

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Figure 15: Current Export Markets: Top Middle Eastern and African Destinations
| %
--- | ---
United Arab Emirates | 35%
Israel | 35%
South Africa | 32%
Saudi Arabia | 25%
Egypt | 18%
Tanzania | 15%
Morocco | 14%
Qatar | 14%
Nigeria | 13%
Mali | 12%
Kuwait | 10%
Jordan | 10%
Ethiopia | 10%

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Figure 16: Future Export Markets
| %
--- | ---
Europe | 43%
Asia and Pacific | 42%
Central and South America | 25%
Middle East and Africa | 22%
North America | 16%
Other | 3%
We're not interested in other markets | 33%

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Figure 17: Future Export Markets: Countries
| %
--- | ---
Australia | 20%
New Zealand | 15%
United Kingdom | 14%
Brazil | 13%
China | 12%
Sweden | 12%
Germany | 12%
France | 11%
Japan | 11%
Mexico | 11%
South Africa | 10%
Belgium | 10%
Denmark | 10%

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Figure 18: Obstacles to Activities in International Markets
| No obstacle at all | Minor obstacle | Moderate obstacle | Major obstacle
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Value of the Canadian dollar | 31% | 22% | 26% | 21%
Uncertainty of regulatory requirements | 33% | 28% | 26% | 13%
Lack of market contacts | 35% | 29% | 24% | 11%
Foreign tariffs/trade barriers | 36% | 25% | 27% | 11%
Lack of info on biz opportunities | 38% | 26% | 24% | 12%
Linguistic/cultural obstacles | 43% | 30% | 20% | 7%
Lack of access to financing/funding | 47% | 21% | 18% | 14%
Canadian export taxes or permits | 48% | 24% | 17% | 12%
Labour availability/skills | 50% | 24% | 17% | 9%
Discriminatory treatment of Canadian investors | 51% | 21% | 20% | 6%
Patent/IP concerns | 52% | 17% | 21% | 10%
Corruption | 52% | 19% | 18% | 11%

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Figure 19: Assistance Required to Develop Foreign Markets
| No assistance at all | Very little assistance | Some assistance | A great deal
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Understanding business practices in foreign markets | 33% | 21% | 31% | 14%
Market intelligence and information | 33% | 19% | 30% | 18%
Information about companies in foreign markets | 34% | 23% | 29% | 14%
Referrals to international sales leads | 35% | 17% | 31% | 16%
Referrals to legal, HR, translators, other professionals | 39% | 25% | 25% | 12%
Referrals to other commercial programs/services | 40% | 19% | 27% | 14%
Recommendations on trade fairs/trade missions | 41% | 22% | 27% | 11%
Support for IPR protection, govt. procurement, regulatory matters | 42% | 17% | 25% | 16%
Practical advice on organizing business trip | 44% | 24% | 23% | 9%
Information/advice on financial assistance | 45% | 17% | 22% | 16%
Referrals to R&D partnership opportunities | 47% | 18% | 24% | 11%

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Figure 20: Awareness of Free Trade Agreements
| Never heard about it | Heard about it/do not know details | Heard about it/know some details | Heard about it/aware of details
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
CUFTA | 64% | 25% | 8% | 7%
CIFTA | 57% | 30% | 10% | 3%
CCFTA | 54% | 32% | 12% | 3%
CKFTA | 52% | 33% | 11% | 3%
CPTPP | 28% | 37% | 28% | 7%
CETA | 27% | 41% | 26% | 7%

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Figure 21: Use of Free Trade Agreements
| Currently use | Plan to use | Don’t know/not sure
--- | --- | --- | ---
CETA (n= 397) | 9% | 17% | 73%
CKFTA (n= 272) | 7% | 14% | 79%
CUFTA (n= 226) | 5% | 16% | 79%
CCFTA (n= 261) | 5% | 14% | 81%
CIFTA (n= 252) | 5% | 16% | 80%

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Figure 22: Likelihood of Trading with CPTPP Countries
| %
--- | ---
Very likely | 9%
Somewhat likely | 21%
Not very likely | 21%
Not at all likely | 23%
Already trade with CPTPP countries | 7%
Don't know/not sure | 21%

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Figure 23: Outlook for Import Volumes from the Asia-Pacific Region
| %
--- | ---
Increase significantly | 5%
Increase somewhat | 27%
Stay about the same | 30%
Decrease somewhat | 6%
We do not import from the Asia-Pacific region | 21%
Don't know/not sure | 8%

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Figure 24: Use of other free trade agreements
| Currently use | Plan to use | Do not plan to use | Don’t know/not sure
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
North American Free Trade Agreement | 33% | 22% | 20% | 25%
Canada-European Free Trade Association Free Trade Agreement | 7% | 20% | 39% | 34%
Canada-Panama Free Trade Agreement | 3% | 8% | 56% | 33%
Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement | 2% | 7% | 63% | 28%
Canada-Costa Rica Free Trade Agreement | 2% | 8% | 60% | 30%
Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement | 1% | 5% | 65% | 29%
Canada-Jordan Free Trade Agreement | 1% | 4% | 65% | 29%
Canada-Peru Free Trade Agreement | 1% | 7% | 60% | 31%

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Figure 25: Awareness of free trade discussions or negotiations
| Never heard about it | Heard about it/do not know details | Heard about it/know some details | Heard about it/aware of details
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Canada-MERCOSUR free trade agreement negotiations | 75% | 16% | 7% | 2%
Canada-ASEAN exploratory discussions | 60% | 28% | 9% | 3%
Canada-Pacific Alliance free trade negotiations | 44% | 37% | 15% | 4%

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Figure 26: Reasons for Not Using Free Trade Agreements
| %
--- | ---
Don't see any benefit | 34%
Difficult to take advantage of FTA | 30%
Lack of information on FTA | 26%
Not interested in the markets accessible through FTAs | 19%
Did not know FTAs exist | 13%
Complex eligibility requirements | 12%
FTAs do not apply to our product/service | 10%
Reduction in tariffs is not worth the administrative costs | 8%
Lack of financing to facilitate cross border trade | 7%
Barriers resulting from linguistic/cultural differences | 6%
Barriers resulting from differences in legal systems | 5%
Use another trade agreement | 3%
Could not meet the rules of origin | 2%
Use alternative duty relief measures | 2%
Other | 9%

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Figure 27: Benefits of Using Free Trade Agreements
| %
--- | ---
Tariff reduction/elimination on goods | 58%
Better conditions for exporting your services | 23%
Easier access to government procurement opportunities | 20%
Greater business certainty/stability due to investment clauses | 17%
Labour mobility clauses/temporary entry | 16%
Other | 6%

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Figure 28: Customs Duties
Reduced customs duties under free trade agreements is claimed by … | %
--- | ---
… my company | 80%
… by the importer of goods | 76%
… my manufacturer | 68%

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Figure 29: Reasons for Not Claiming Reduced Customs Duties
| No impact at all | A small impact | A moderate impact | A big impact
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Good not covered by FTA | 58% | 17% | 15% | 10%
Use tariff preferences available under WTO | 50% | 28% | 8% | 15%
Did not know they needed to apply | 45% | 26% | 7% | 22%
Long delays associated with obtaining Origin Declarations | 40% | 30% | 14% | 16%
Do not understand FTAs/eligibility requirements/rules of origin | 38% | 41% | 7% | 14%
High administrative costs of obtaining Origin Declarations | 37% | 26% | 16% | 21%
Did not see a significant tariff reduction | 31% | 31% | 12% | 26%

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Figure 30: Impact of free trade agreements on labour mobility
As a result of free trade agreements … | Strongly agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly disagree
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Our company has sent staff to free trade agreement markets | 24% | 31% | 42% | 3% | 1%
Our company has increased the number of business trips taken to FTA markets | 22% | 22% | 42% | 14% |
Our company's management and personnel have more capacity to work in FTA markets | 22% | 44% | 35% |  |
Our company's management and personnel have more capacity to access opportunities as contractors in FTA markets | 20% | 37% | 39% | 1% | 2%

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Figure 31: Impact of free trade agreements on business practices
As a result of free trade agreements … | Strongly agree | Agree | Neutral | Disagree | Strongly disagree
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Our company has improved supply chain arrangements or integration | 6% | 33% | 39% | 12% | 10%
Our company has improved contractual arrangements with buyers | 10% | 25% | 44% | 9% | 11%
Our company has changed administrative practices to build in FTA-related processes | 6% | 27% | 38% | 17% | 12%

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Figure 32: Influence of free trade agreements on export strategy
Free trade agreements influenced my company’s export strategy … | %
--- | ---
… a great deal | 14%
… a moderate amount | 27%
… a small amount | 33%
Not at all | 26%

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Figure 33: Areas in which free trade agreements influenced export strategy
Free trade agreements influenced my company’s decision to … | A great deal | A moderate amount | A small amount | Not at all
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
… sell a wider range of goods or services | 29% | 26% | 23% | 22%
… conduct a broader range of business activities | 29% | 30% | 25% | 16%
… engage in offshoring or outsourcing | 21% | 25% | 26% | 28%
… invest in a country covered by a free trade agreement | 20% | 24% | 26% | 31%
… establish abroad | 20% | 24% | 16% | 40%
… bid for government procurement contracts in FTA markets | 18% | 19% | 23% | 41%

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Figure 34: Other benefits of free trade agreements
| %
--- | ---
Increase in sales/revenue | 40%
Company has been able to sell to new customers in FTA markets | 31%
Company has increased sales to existing customers | 30%
Our company has not experienced any benefits | 28%
Products are more price competitive in our export market(s) | 26%
Access to specialized goods and materials outside of Canada | 24%
Access to specialized expertise/services outside of Canada | 13%
Other | 1%

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Figure 35: Awareness of GoC resources and information
| %
--- | ---
I am aware of Government of Canada information and resources to help companies expand abroad | 82%
Not aware of Government of Canada information and resources | 18%

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Figure 36: Awareness of TCS
| %
--- | ---
Aware of TCS | 50%
Not aware of TCS | 50%

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Figure 37: Source of Awareness of TCS
| %
--- | ---
Internet | 41%
Referral from EDC | 13%
Referral from BDC | 11%
Third party event | 10%
Referral from a federal government body | 6%
Referral from another organization | 5%
Referral from a provincial government body | 7%
Referral from CCC | 3%
Other | 3%

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Figure 38: Information Sources for Doing Business Abroad
| %
--- | ---
Industry/business associations | 32%
Business associate/colleague/partner | 32%
Websites/tools of trade promotion organizations | 29%
Professional services | 22%
Business trade publications | 22%
Customs broker/freight forwarder | 21%
Shipping companies | 18%
Financial institutions | 16%
Professional advisors | 16%
Brokers | 12%
Private training courses | 8%
Retailer | 4%
Other | 3%

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Figure 39: Information Sources Used to Stay on Top of Industry Trends
To stay on top of industry trends and general business information I use … | %
--- | ---
Online | 77%
Social Media | 46%
Print publications | 18%
Facebook | 10%
Specialized publications | 9%
Television | 7%
Twitter | 6%
Radio | 4%
Word of mouth | 4%
Other | 3%

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Figure 40: Preferred Methods to Consume information
When learning or researching something new, my preferred method to consume is to … | %
--- | ---
… read articles | 59%
… get answers from an expert | 46%
… have step-by-step guides | 32%
… attend in-person training | 31%
… read whitepapers | 29%
… watch short videos | 26%
… attend webinars | 19%
… read blogs | 14%
Other | 3%

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Figure 41: Preferred Methods to Read information
When learning or researching something new, my preferred method to read the information is to … | %
--- | ---
… have the information summarized in an executive summary | 36%
… read everything | 33%
… look at charts/tables/infographics to understand the main points | 17%
… skim the information to get the main points | 15%

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Figure 42: Preferred Device for Various Activities
| Laptop/Notebook | Desktop | Smartphone | Tablet | Would not do this activity digitally
--- | --- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Visit a website | 67% | 63% | 48% | 34% | 1%
Read emails | 63% | 61% | 53% | 28% |
Answer emails | 62% | 61% | 49% | 23% |
Read an article | 56% | 55% | 35% | 29% | 3%
Look at an infographic | 56% | 55% | 24% | 22% | 4%
Attend a webinar | 56% | 50% | 14% | 10% | 5%
Keep up to date with social media | 55% | 53% | 45% | 28% | 2%
Participate in a chat session | 53% | 49% | 37% | 18% | 3%
Manage your calendar | 52% | 45% | 41% | 18% | 12%
Apply for financial support | 45% | 41% | 13% | 10% | 24%

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Figure 43: Approach to Researching Something New
When researching something new I would … | %
--- | ---
… start searching online, then make a decision about next steps | 83%
… call someone to figure out where to look, then search online | 12%
… would only look at information through my inbox first | 3%
… ask someone to reseach the information and present the findings | 2%

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Figure 44: Companies or regions where companies are active
Central and South America | Europe | Asia and the Pacific | Middle East and Africa | North America
--- | --- | --- | --- | ---
Argentina | Czech Republic | Australia | Saudi Arabia | Mexico
Caribbean | Germany | China | South Africa |
Chile | Poland | Hong Kong | West Africa |
Colombia | Russia | India |  |
Jamaica | Sweden | Japan |  |
| United Kingdom | New Zealand |  |
|  | Philippines |  |
|  | Singapore |  |
|  | Taiwan |  |
|  | Thailand |  |

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