Task force looking to survey businesses

ATHABASCA – The Athabasca Region Business Normalization and Resiliency task force survey is now online for businesses to complete to help determine the amount and kinds of help needed to get through and recover from the pandemic.

The task force is looking for businesses to fill out a survey either online or talking to one of the task force members. 

The task force, which was struck in May, came up with a survey to gauge the needs of local businesses, big and small, in the greater Athabasca region going into the post-pandemic business environment. Businesses can also participate by contacting one of the task force members.

Task force chair and mayor of the Village of Boyle Colin Derko said the task force in an important step in getting businesses through the current situation successfully. 

“I am very happy that the TED (tourism and economic development) committee had the foresight to form the task force committee and get in front of what is playing out to be a ‘new normal,’” said Derko. 

Interim TED coordinator Luke Pantin feels it is the variety of members on the task force, from locals to government representatives, that will ensure the success of the mission. 

“We are very fortunate that the character of this task force is a cross-programmatic, agile, talented, team-spirited, project-oriented group of volunteers from diverse disciplines who are determined to ensure the success of the Athabasca Region,” Pantin said. 

He went on to note the mission of the group is to turn public feedback into action by ascertaining what actions, economic undertakings, new ideas, and supports are a “must” for success for local businesses and are planning. The survey should be completed by July 21. 

“Task force members are connecting face-to-face with business owners and entrepreneurs, using modern survey and analytics methodology to gather and process data. The group is hoping to collect as much information as possible by July 21 to enable them to develop and propose recommendations in early August that show how the future of business and industry; the livelihood of current and future Athabascans and, by extension, the overall destiny of the regional economy can be protected, sustained, and developed,” said Pantin. 

Derko added the survey is vital to establishing short and long-term recovery plans. 

“We could potentially be faced with a second wave in the near future so we are not only wanting to deal with the issues we are currently facing, but also the ones that we might be facing. The survey will help us understand what we need to do now and in the future in order to make sure the greater Athabasca region is ready for the challenges,” he said. 

Both said it is important for all businesses, from home-based to large industrial companies, to take part in the survey so the task force can gather as much data as possible. 

“Currently the task force is challenged with getting surveys filled out from a wide array of business’s both large and small, individuals living in our community and people who are being affected from the changes that COVID-19 has brought,” Derko said. 

“This is very important because we need the knowledge within the survey so that we can react proactively to COVID-19 now and in the future.” 

Pantin agreed that the more businesses who take part the better the data will be. 

"We need as many surveys as possible completed, to strengthen the reliability of our overall analysis and to validate the recommendations to be proposed, and encourage all and sundry across the region to support the survey drive,” he said. 

Derko said the task force is completely committed to the mission of helping the region out of the economic struggle it is in. 

“The TED task force is 100 per cent committed to making sure that we do everything we possibly can to help our communities face the current challenges and the possible challenges of the future. The information that we gather from this survey will be a very valuable tool now and, in the future,” he said. 

Businesses in the greater Athabasca region are asked to fill out the survey online https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/YGC3827 or can contact Pantin at [email protected] to arrange for one of the task force members to speak with them directly. 

Note: The task force extended the survey deadline to July 28 after the newspaper print deadline.

Heather Stocking, TownandCountryToday.com
Follow me on Twitter @HLSox