Survey of Service Industries: Consulting Services, 2012 - Characteristics Questionnaire
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A - Introduction
If necessary, please make address label corrections in the boxes below.
- 1: Legal name
- 2: Business name
- 3: Title of contact
- 4: First name of contact
- 5: Last name of contact
- 6: Address (number and street)
- 7: City
- 8: Province/territory or state
- 9: Country
- 10: Postal code/ zip code
What is your language of preference?
- 1: English
- 2: French
Purpose
This survey collects the financial and operating data needed to develop national and regional economic policies and programs.
Authority
This information is collected under the authority of the Statistics Act, Revised Statutes of Canada, 1985, Chapter S-19.
COMPLETION OF THIS QUESTIONNAIRE IS A LEGAL REQUIREMENT UNDER THIS ACT.
This document is confidential when completed.
Si vous préférez recevoir ce questionnaire en français, veuillez nous appeler au numéro sans frais suivant : 1-800-972-9692.
Confidentiality
The Statistics Act protects the confidentiality of information collected by Statistics Canada.
Your answers are confidential.
Statistics Canada is prohibited by law from releasing any information it collects which could identify any person, business, or organization, unless consent has been given by the respondent or as permitted by the Statistics Act.
Statistics Canada will use information from this survey for statistical purposes.
Data-sharing agreements
To reduce respondent burden, Statistics Canada has entered into data-sharing agreements with provincial and territorial statistical agencies and other government organizations, which have agreed to keep the data confidential and use them only for statistical purposes. Statistics Canada will only share data from this survey with those organizations that have demonstrated a requirement to use the data.
Section 11 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with provincial and territorial statistical agencies that meet certain conditions. These agencies must have the legislative authority to collect the same information, on a mandatory basis, and the legislation must provide substantially the same provisions for confidentiality and penalties for disclosure of confidential information as the Statistics Act. Because these agencies have the legal authority to compel businesses to provide the same information, consent is not requested and businesses may not object to the sharing of the data.
For this survey, there are Section 11 agreements with the provincial and territorial statistical agencies of Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, and the Yukon.
The shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.
Section 12 of the Statistics Act provides for the sharing of information with federal, provincial or territorial government organizations. Under Section 12, you may refuse to share your information with any of these organizations by writing a letter of objection to the Chief Statistician and returning it with the completed questionnaire. Please specify the organizations with which you do not want to share your data.
For this survey, there are Section 12 agreements with the statistical agencies of Prince Edward Island, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut.
For agreements with provincial and territorial government organizations, the shared data will be limited to information pertaining to business establishments located within the jurisdiction of the respective province or territory.
Record linkage
To enhance the data from this survey, Statistics Canada may combine it with information from other surveys or from administrative sources.
Security of emails and faxes
Statistics Canada advises of the risk of interception by a third party when transmitting information by email or fax. Once we receive your questionnaire, however, Statistics Canada provides a guaranteed level of protection, which covers all information collected under the authority of the Statistics Act. Note: Our online questionnaires are secure, so there is no risk of interception when you respond to our surveys online.
Return procedures
Please return the questionnaire within 30 days.
Please mail the completed questionnaire in the enclosed envelope or fax it to Statistics Canada at 1-888-883-7999.
Lost the return envelope or need help? Call us at 1-800-972-9692 or mail to:
Statistics Canada, Operations and Integration Division, 150 Tunney's Pasture Driveway, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0T6
Reporting instructions
- Report for business unit(s) specified on the label on the front page.
- Complete only the questions that apply to your business.
- When precise figures are not available, please provide your best estimate.
- Report in Canadian dollars. Dollar amounts and percentages should be rounded to whole numbers.
- Consult the reporting guide at www.statcan.gc.ca/guides-e for further information.
B - Main business activity
Administrative management consulting and general management consulting services
This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing advice and assistance to other organizations on administrative management issues, such as:
- financial planning and budgeting;
- equity and asset management;
- records management;
- office planning;
- strategic and organizational planning;
- site selection;
- new business start-up;
- business process improvement.
This Canadian industry also includes general management consultants that provide to their clients a full range of administrative, human resource, marketing, process, physical distribution and logistics consulting services or other management consulting services:
- administrative management;
- human resource management;
- marketing management;
- process management;
- physical distribution management;
- logistics consulting services management;
- other management consulting services.
Human resources consulting services
This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing advice and assistance to other organizations on human resource management issues such as:
- human resource and personnel policies, practices and procedures;
- employee benefits planning, communication, and administration;
- compensation systems planning;
- wage and salary administration.
Other management consulting services
This Canadian industry comprises establishments, not classified to any other Canadian industry, primarily engaged in providing advice and assistance to other organizations on management issues.
Environmental consulting services
This Canadian industry comprises establishments primarily engaged in providing advice and assistance to other organizations on environmental issues, such as the control of environmental contamination from pollutants, toxic substances and hazardous materials. These establishments identify problems, measure and evaluate risks, and recommend solutions. They employ a multi-disciplined staff of scientists, engineers and other technicians, with expertise
in areas such as:
- air and water quality;
- asbestos contamination;
- remediation;
- environmental law.
Examples of establishments in this industry are environmental consultants, sanitation consultants and site remediation consultants.
Other scientific and technical consulting services
This Canadian industry comprises establishments, not classified to any other industry, primarily engaged in providing advice and assistance to other organizations on scientific and technical issues.
B - Main business activity - Question identifier:1.
Please describe the nature of your business.
To ensure that you have received the appropriate questionnaire, you are asked to describe the nature of your business. The description should briefly state the main activities of your business unit.
The main activity of an enterprise engaged in consulting services is to provide client firms with expert advice and make recommendations such as the adoption of approaches and processes and the establishment of strategies. For the benefit of client firms, such a consulting enterprise can also undertake the work itself that arises from its own recommendations i.e., their actual implementation.
However, for this survey to be considered as a consulting services enterprise, the enterprise must generate the majority of its revenues from advice that it provides to client firms and not from the implementation of its own recommendations.
B - Main business activity - Question identifier:2.
Please check the one main activity which most accurately represents your main source of revenue.
Administrative management consulting and general management consulting services
Include:
- administrative management consultants;
- business start-up consulting services;
- financial management consulting services (except investment advice);
- general management consulting services;
- records management consulting services;
- reorganization consulting services;
- site selection consulting services;
- strategic planning consulting services.
Exclude establishment where the principal activity is:
- providing office or general administrative services on a day-to-day basis.
Human resources consulting services
Include the following consulting services:
- actuarial;
- benefit;
- compensation;
- labour relations;
- employee assessment;
- employee compensation;
- human resource;
- organization development;
- personnel management.
Exclude establishments where the principal activity is:
- executive search consultants;
- providing professional and management development training.
Other management consulting services
Include:
- customer services management consulting services;
- customs consulting services;
- efficiency experts;
- freight rate consulting services;
- inventory planning and control management consulting services;
- logistics management consulting services;
- manufacturing operations improvement consulting services;
- materials management consulting services;
- new product development consulting services;
- operations research consulting services;
- physical distribution consulting services;
- production planning and control consulting services;
- productivity improvement consulting services;
- sales management consulting services;
- tariff consulting services;
- telecommunications management consulting services.
Other scientific and technical consulting services
Include the following consulting services:
- agricultural (technical);
- agrology;
- agronomy;
- economic;
- energy;
- hydrology;
- livestock breeding;
- motion picture;
- nuclear energy;
- occupational health and safety;
- physics;
- safety.
- 1: Administrative management consulting and general management consulting services
- 2: Human resources consulting services
- 3: Other management consulting services
- 4: Environmental consulting services
- 5: Other scientific and technical consulting services
- 6: None of the above - Please call the contact telephone number on the cover page for further instructions.
C - Reporting period information
C - Reporting period information - Question identifier:1.
Please report information for your fiscal year (normal business year) ending between April 1, YYYY and March 31, YYYY. Please indicate below the period covered by this questionnaire.
- 1: Date from (YYYY MM DD) to (YYYY MM DD)
C - Reporting period information - Question identifier:2.
If the reporting period does not cover a full year, please check the reason(s) below:
- 1: seasonal operations
- 2: new business
- 3: change of fiscal year
- 4: change of ownership
- 5: ceased operations
- 6: temporarily inactive
D and E - Not applicable
F - Industry characteristics
Please provide a breakdown of your sales.
Management consulting services
Management consulting services in the areas of strategic and organizational planning, finance, human resources, marketing and production.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:1.
Strategic management consulting services
Providing advice and guidance concerning the overall strategic direction, planning, structuring and control of an organization.
Include consulting on:
- business strategy and planning;
- corporate development and restructuring;
- crisis management;
- the development of an organization's overall direction and objectives;
- the determination of the organization's strategy to achieve the selected direction and objectives;
- the selection of a method for carrying out the strategy, including selection among such methods as a merger or acquisition, joint venture, outsourcing, or other alliance, divestiture, new business venture or use of new technology;
- designing or redesigning the organizational structure.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:2.
Financial management consulting services
Providing advice and guidance concerning financial strategies, planning and control.
Include:
- advice and guidance on projects related to working capital and liquidity management;
- the determination of an appropriate capital structure;
- capital investment proposals, asset management;
- accounting policy and procedures;
- budgeting and budgetary controls;
- financial consulting services related to mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures such as advice on methods of valuations, methods of payment,
and methods of control;
- international finance.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:3.
Marketing management consulting services
Providing advice and guidance on projects related to marketing strategy, market development and sales management and development.
Include:
- identifying external opportunities and challenges that can be addressed by marketing;
- analysing internal strengths and weaknesses;
- determining which goods and services to offer;
- target markets;
- competitive position;
- features of goods and services including customer service programs;
- pricing;
- advertising, and distribution channels(including franchising);
- marketing expenditure level;
- sales management and development.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:4.
Compensation and benefits consulting services
Providing advice and guidance related to compensation and benefits systems.
Include:
- base salary or hourly wages;
- fringe benefits, and incentive compensation;
- non-cash compensation;
- employee services and benefits such as pension and retirement and savings plans, welfare and health plans;
- early retirement proposals.
Scope of services may consist of:
- job evaluation and job rating systems;
- performance appraisals;
- executive compensation;
- incentive and bonus plans;
- job and positions analysis and evaluations;
- comparative wage-and-salary surveys;
- pay for performance programs, profit sharing plans, executive compensation, termination packages.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:5.
Other human resources management consulting services
Providing advice and guidance concerning the development or modification of human resource strategies, policies, practices and procedures except concerning compensation and benefits.
Include:
- consulting on recruitment;
- organizational development (improving functioning within and between groups);
- employee training and development needs;
- outplacement procedures and plans for assistance to employees;
- succession planning;
- compliance with government regulations in areas such as health, safety, workers' compensation and employment equity;
- labour-management relations;
- employee assistance programs;
- human resources audits.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:6.
Operations and supply chain management consulting services
Operations management is concerned with the management of physical, financial and human resources with the objective of producing goods and services. Supply chain management is a bundled service.
Include:
- inventory management services;
- warehousing and storage services and distribution services.
May include advice and guidance concerning:
- productivity improvement;
- cost reduction;
- quality improvements in goods and services;
- registration for quality management systems;
- improvements to logistical operations such as production planning and control;
- the management of supply sources, inventories, distribution networks, and transportation.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:7.
Other management consulting services
Services, related to the field of management consulting, that are provided by management consulting firms.
Include:
- economic and social research services;
- arbitration and conciliation services (except by lawyer, attorney, or paralegal offices);
- other related products such as:
Actuarial consulting services, except for employee pensions and other benefits
Providing advice and guidance on actuarial matters such as life insurance and annuities; property and casualty insurance; public pension, health and other social insurance plans; income loss and marriage breakdown.
Expert witness services
Providing testimony before a court or administrative body, by a witness who, by virtue of experience, training, skill or knowledge, is recognized as being qualified to render an informed opinion on matters relating to a
field or subject.
Training services, management
Providing management-related training and education services, in fields such as strategic management, financial management, marketing management, human resources management,
and operations and logistics management on a stand-alone basis.
Project management
Planning, supervising, and co-ordinating the activities involved in carrying out a project, with regard to time, cost, project team membership, performance requirements, and other constraints. This product refers only to those situations in which project management is offered as a
stand-alone service.
Environmental consulting services
The provision of objective information, advice, and guidance to clients concerning the preservation of air, water, and soil quality; natural resource development; waste management; pollution control; and other environmental issues.
Include:
- the sale or transfer of technology to a client, which often extends to assisting the client with the organization and monitoring of solution implementation.
Exclude:
- services that involve stand-alone implementation.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:8.
Environmental assessments
Objective studies undertaken for any one or more of the following purposes:
- identify whether or not environmental contamination exists at a particular site, and if so, determine the source, nature, and extent of the contamination;
- assess the risk to public health and safety from environmental contamination associated with a project that is proposed or in place;
- evaluate the impact on the ecology, society, or economy of environmental contamination resulting from human or natural activity.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:9.
Environmental audits
An independent assessment of the current status of a party's compliance with applicable environmental requirements or of a party's environmental compliance policies, practices, and controls
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:10.
Site remediation planning services
Preparation of a plan for the abatement of environmental contamination, usually at a specific site, and incorporating such technical or other criteria as may be prescribed by law or regulation.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:11.
Natural resource management consulting services
The provision of objective information, advice, and guidance concerning the best practices for the ecologically sustainable development and use of:
- lands and forests;
- bodies of water;
- oil, gas, and mineral deposits;
- wildlife populations;
- other natural resources.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:12.
Waste management consulting services
The provision of objective information, advice, and guidance concerning the best practices for the minimization, transport, handling, disposal, and/or recycling of waste.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:13.
Environmental policy development consulting services
Advising public or private institutions on the design, development, and implementation of environmental statutes, regulations, standards, or practices. Consulting services of this type may extend to the drafting of such statutes, regulations, standards or practices on behalf of the client.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:14.
Other environmental consulting services
All other advisory services not elsewhere classified that are provided by environmental consultants.
Scientific and technical consulting services
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:15.
Economic consulting services
Providing advice related to the description and analysis of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services.
Include:
- consulting services related to macroeconomic modeling;
- economic forecasting;
- economic issues arising from competition, regulations, public policy and finance;
- expert witness services;
- consulting in agricultural economics.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:16.
Geological and geophysical consulting services
Providing advice concerning the geology of mineral, oil and natural gas resource exploration and development.
Include:
- geophysical methods;
- expert witness services;
- resource and reserve estimates, audits and reviews;
- independent valuations of mineral, oil and natural gas properties;
- preparation of independent reports for stock exchange listings;
- feasibility studies of mineral, oil and natural gas properties;
- mineral, oil and natural gas property and project evaluation services;
- geophysical survey design, including selection of methods;
- appraisal of geological, geophysical or geochemical anomalies.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:17.
Soil management, crop and animal production consulting services
Providing advice in relation to the scientific management of agricultural land as well as crop or animal production.
Include expert witness services and consulting services related to :
- tree farming;
- crop fertilization;
- animal breeding;
- soil conservation.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:18.
Heritage consulting services
Providing advice concerning the identification, investigation, preservation and interpretation of historical or heritage resources. Includes
advice related to the use of historical and archaeological research.
Include:
- built heritage assessments;
- archaeological site impact or mitigation;
- advice on local, national or international regulations and standards for heritage sites or properties;
- advice on obtaining government grants concerning heritage sites;
- traditional uses of land, water and natural resources by aboriginal peoples;
- expert witness services.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:19.
Occupational health and safety consulting services
Providing advice concerning health and related safety standards in commercial, industrial, and government workplaces and facilities.
Include:
- industrial hygiene;
- workplace health risk assessments;
- ergonomics;
- confined space entry;
- health hazard testing and evaluations;
- safety standard requirements;
- expert witness services.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:20.
Other scientific and technical consulting services
Providing advice on scientific and technical matters not elsewhere classified.
Include:
- pharmaceutical;
- chemistry;
- atomic energy;
- expert witness services.
Other services
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:21.
Other sales
(please specify):
All other sales of services not specified elsewhere such as:
- business incorporation services;
- personal financial planning services;
- legal services;
- accounting training services;
- litigation support services;
- business valuation services;
- computerized accounting systems services.
(Please specify):
Please indicate any major items associated with the revenue reported for this category on the line provided. Sales from these goods and services, while not generally part of your principal source of revenue, complete the financial picture of the activities of your business unit.
F - Industry characteristics - Question identifier:22.
Total sales (sum of questions 1 to 21)
G - Personnel
G - Personnel - Question identifier:1.
Number of partners and proprietors, non-salaried (if salaried, report at question 2 below)
For unincorporated businesses, please report the number of partners and proprietors for whom earnings will be the net income of the partnership or proprietorship.
G - Personnel - Question identifier:2.
Paid employees
G - Personnel - Question identifier:a)
Average number of paid employees during the reporting period (see reporting guide)
To calculate the average number employed, add the number of employees in the last pay period of each month of the reporting period and divide this sum by the number of months (usually 12).
Exclude:
- partners and proprietors, non-salaried reported
at question 1 above.
G - Personnel - Question identifier:b)
Percentage of paid employees (from question 2a) who worked full time
Full-time employment consists of persons who usually work 30 hours or more per week. Please specify the percentage of paid employees who have been working full time by rounding the percentage to the nearest whole number.
G - Personnel - Question identifier:3.
Number of contract workers for whom you did not issue a T4, such as freelancers and casual workers (estimates are acceptable)
Contract workers are not employees, but workers contracted to perform a specific task or project in your organization for a specific duration, such as self-employed persons, freelancers and casual workers. These workers are not issued a T4 information slip. Please report the number of contract workers employed by your organization during the fiscal year.
H - Sales by type of client
Please provide a percentage breakdown of your sales by type of client.
H - Sales by type of client - Question identifier:1.
Clients in Canada
H - Sales by type of client - Question identifier:a)
Businesses
Percentage of sales sold to the business sector should be reported here.
Include:
- sales to Crown corporations.
H - Sales by type of client - Question identifier:b)
Individuals and households
Please report the percentage of sales to individuals and households who do not represent the business or government sector.
H - Sales by type of client - Question identifier:c)
Governments, not-for-profit organizations and public institutions (e.g., hospitals, schools)
Percentage of sales to federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments should be reported here.
Include:
- sales to hospitals, schools, universities and public utilities.
H - Sales by type of client - Question identifier:2.
Clients outside Canada
Total: 100%
I - Sales by client location
Please ensure that the sum of percentages reported in this section equals 100%.
The percentage in question 14 must equal question 2 in section H.
Please provide a percentage breakdown of your sales by client location (first point of sale).
- 1: Newfoundland and Labrador
- 2: Prince Edward Island
- 3: Nova Scotia
- 4: New Brunswick
- 5: Quebec
- 6: Ontario
- 7: Manitoba
- 8: Saskatchewan
- 9: Alberta
- 10: British Columbia
- 11: Yukon
- 12: Northwest Territories
- 13: Nunavut
- 14: Clients outside Canada (must equal question 2 in section H)
Total: 100%
J - International transactions
Exports
J - International transactions
Exports - Question identifier:1.
Did you receive revenue from clients outside Canada for the export of goods, services, royalties, rights, licensing or franchise fees?
- 1: yes, complete questions 2, 3 and 4
- 2: no, go to question 5
J - International transactions
Exports - Question identifier:2.
Please report revenue received from exports. (Please report in Canadian dollars)
J - International transactions
Exports - Question identifier:3.
Please provide a percentage breakdown of exports by:
- a): goods
- b): services
- c): royalties, rights, licensing and franchise fees
Total: 100%
J - International transactions
Exports - Question identifier:4.
Please provide a percentage breakdown of exports by country:
- a): United States
- b): Mexico
- c): other countries (please specify):
Total: 100%
Imports
This section is intended to measure the value of international transactions on goods, services, and royalties and licences fees. It covers imported services and goods purchased outside Canada as well as the value of exported services and goods to clients/customers outside Canada. Please report also royalties, rights, licensing and franchise fees paid to and/or received from outside Canada. Services cover a variety of industrial, professional, trade and business services.
Imports - Question identifier:5.
Did you make payments to suppliers outside Canada for the import of goods, services, royalties, rights, licensing or franchise fees?
- 1: yes, complete questions 6, 7 and 8
- 2: no, go to next section
Imports - Question identifier:6.
Please report payments made for imports. (Please report in Canadian dollars)
Imports - Question identifier:7.
Please provide a percentage breakdown of imports by:
- a): goods
- b): services
- c): royalties, rights, licensing and franchise fees
Total: 100%
Imports - Question identifier:8.
Please provide a percentage breakdown of imports by country:
- a): United States
- b): Mexico
- c): other countries (please specify):
Total: 100%
Not applicable
L - Contact information
Name of person to contact about this questionnaire:
- 1: Mr.
- 2: Mrs.
- 3: Miss
- 4: Ms
- 1: Last name
- 2: First name
- 3: Title
- 4: Telephone number
- 5: Extension number
- 6: Fax number
- 7: E-mail address
- 8: Website address
I certify that the information contained herein is complete and correct to the best of my knowledge.
- 1: yyyy mm dd
M - Comments
We invite your comments below. Please be assured that we review all comments with the intent of improving the survey.
- Date modified: