Find Books

Books To Help You Get Started

There is a good chance that someone has written a book about starting a business in your particular industry. "How-to" books are a great starting place in business research, as they contain a collection of useful information in one single resource. They often provide a good introduction to business planning specific to your industry, and many contain sample business plans. Contact your local library to see what business-related books they have in their collection.

Find Books Online By Searching Google Books

Google Books 
Google Books is a search feature offered by Google. It enables users to search the full text of approximately 10 million books that Google has scanned and stored in its digital database. It also offers previews of books that are currently still in print. You can click on the book covers we've listed to see if a preview is available.

	Pillay, T. V. R., & Kutty, M. N. (2005). Aquaculture: Principles and practices. Ames, Iowa: Blackwell Pub.
	Romanowski, N. (2007). Sustainable freshwater aquaculture: The complete guide from backyard to investor. Sydney: UNSW Press. Preview available on Google books.
	Tucker, C. S., & Hargreaves, J. A. (2008). Environmental best management practices for aquaculture. Ames, Iowa: Wiley-Blackwell.   Preview available on Google books.
	Young, N., & Matthews, R. (2010). The aquaculture controversy in Canada: Activism, policy, and contested science. Vancouver: UBC Press.   Preview available on Google books.
	Costa-Pierce, B. A. (2002). Ecological aquaculture: The evolution of the blue revolution. Oxford, UK: Blackwell Science.

Find Books In A Library Near You

Worldcat 
WorldCat is a global catalogue of library collections from various libraries around the world. You can search for books on business planning, new enterprises, start-ups, or your specific industry. You can search for all the locations with copies of a specific item, and then locate the item in a nearby library. In Worldcat, you can also view research articles and other digital content directly online.

Outlook Online
Use this online catalogue to search across many public and academic BC libraries.

Try Searching These Subject Headings

• Management.
• Aquaculture.
• Fisheries.
• Fisheries -- Management.
• Aquaculture -- Canada.
• Aquaculture -- Government policy -- Canada.   
• New business enterprises -- Management.
• Small business -- Management.

netLibrary | online library resource
BC ELN's shared collection of 800+ ebook titles is a strong, broad mix of theoretical, practical, applied and general interest titles across all business subject areas: accounting, e-commerce, enterpreneurship, economics and global economy, finance and banking. The collection includes works from leading business and economic scholars and key publishers of business information. For more information, including a list of the academic libraries that have access via ELN check out this link.

Find Business Plans

Related Business Plans Are Great Models

Most books about starting a business will include examples of business plans, as well as business planning templates. In addition to books, online business resources frequently include sample business plans. Here are a few plans to help you get started.

Marketing Plans:

Mplans.com
Provides a selection of free sample marketing plans.

Business Plans:

• Fish-Farm Business Plan Workbook (PDF - 74 pages)
• Planning for Success in Your Aquaculture Business (8 pages)
• Developing an Aquaculture Business Plan (PDF - 2 pages)
• How to Write an Aquaculture Business Plan - eHow.com

Bplans.com
Offers a selection of sample business plans, as well as articles on business planning. Bplans.com also sells business planning software.

• Fish Breeder Business Plan 

Business Plans Handbook | Gale Publishing
Composed of actual business plans written by North American entrepreneurs seeking financing for their businesses. Includes examples of many start-up business ideas. Please note: access to this resource is available through your local public library, made possible by a generous donation from the Sutherland Foundation.

Find Financing

Starting A New Business Requires Money - Where Will It Come From?

Identifying the sources of financing for your new small business can be a challenging and stressful task. Finding the money that a new business requires is an important step to success. With proper planning and a few resources to guide you on your way, identifying and securing the financing to start your business becomes a much smoother and gentler process. Here are a few important resources to help get your business financed.

Great Starting Points For Finding Financing Information:

Canada Business
Government of Canada website that provides business information services for entrepreneurs, including information on starting a business, grants and financing, regulations and permits, management and marketing.

Start here: Government Grants, Loans and Financing
Start here: Sources of Private Sector Financing

Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC)
BDC is a government owned financial institution that serves Canadian entrepreneurs. BDC acts as a 'complementary lender', offering loans and investments that supplement services available from commercial financial institutions. BDC puts special focus on SMEs in sectors such as manufacturing, exporting, innovation and knowledge-based industries.

Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada - Funding Opportunities
Offers a variety of funding / financing options for Canadian businesses with the potential to engage in global trade and international commerce.

Start here: Financing Solutions for Canadian Companies
Start here: Market Expansion Financing

Small Business BC - 2010 Overview of Financing (PDF: 38 pages)
This guide published by Small Business BC provides an excellent overview of federal and provincial government assistance programs and services for small business. Included are the more popular programs for small business and it is not to be considered a complete listing.

 

Industry Codes

The North American Industry Classification System

At the start of your research, it may not be clear what specific industry you should be examining. A good strategy is to find out if your business idea is classified in an industrial classification system. These systems organize industries by assigning them a numeric code. The most commonly used of these systems is the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS).  Once you know your Industry Classification Code you can use this number to:

• find industry-specific statistics on government websites or in library databases
• generate lists of competitors in company directories

Another common classification system is the Standard Industry Code (SIC). Even though the SIC Code has been replaced by NAICS as the most widely accepted Industry Classification system, the SIC is still used by some commercial databases. Finding and using these classification systems to effectively search can be tricky, so don't hesitate to ask a librarian for help.

Here Are Some Relevant Categories:

Type	Code	Description
NAICS	11	Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting
NAICS	1125	Aquaculture
NAICS	112510	Aquaculture
SIC	273	Animal Aquaculture
SIC	912	Fisheries, Finfish
SIC	913	Fisheries, Shellfish
SIC	921	Fish Hatcheries and Preserves

You can do your own search for 2012 NAICS codes using this link to the Statistics Canada Website.

Library Databases

Believe It Or Not – You Can’t Find Everything In A Search Engine Like Google

Libraries offer their users access to the deep web. Libraries pay for access to many expensive databases (often referred to as electronic resources). These databases contain useful business information, articles, and market research reports that are not accessible through a regular search engine like Google.

When researching your business plan, you will most likely want to examine information in these library databases. Many databases are arranged differently, with unique interfaces and search features. In order to retrieve effective results, it helps to know the taxonomy of the specific database you are using. If you need help searching a specific database, do not hesitate to contact a librarian.

Please keep in mind that in general, libraries only allow individuals with library cards access to these databases, as they are often restricted by specific usage agreements.

In addition to databases, be sure to check the library catalogue for additional business-related resources, including government publications.

Here Are Some Library Databases For Industry Research:

AGRICOLA
Compiled by the National Agricultural Library of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) and distributed by the National Technical Information Service of the Department of Commerce of the United States of America; AGRICOLA contains 2.9 million records covering every major agricultural subject.

ABI Inform
Contains full-text articles from over 1000 business magazines and journals that track business conditions, trends, management techniques, corporate strategies, and industry-specific topics.

Start here: The Americas: Socked; british columbia's salmon. (2009, Nov 21). The Economist, 393(8658), 42-42.
Start here: YOUNG, M. (2009). Fragmentation or interaction: The WTO, fisheries subsidies, and international law. World Trade Review, 8(4), 477-515.

Business Source Complete / Business Source Premier
Quarterly reports on major industries in 175 countries. Includes 5-year forecasts and SWOT analyses. Also includes information on industry trends, forecasts, outlooks, competitors, how to run a specific business, and much more.

This resource is currently part of a suite of provincially licensed databases called the Undergraduate Foundation Collection. For more information on the status of this database contact ELN.

Start here: Olesen, I., Myhr, A., & Rosendal, G. G. (2011). Sustainable Aquaculture: Are We Getting There? Ethical Perspectives on Salmon Farming. Journal Of Agricultural & Environmental Ethics, 24(4), 381-408.
Start here: Simpson, S. (2011). The Blue Food Revolution. Scientific American, 304(2), 54-61.
Start here: Gager, R. (2011). Sustaining Fisheries. Food & Drink, 160-162.

Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA)
Provides access to general and specialized business information, current events, and reference materials, including popular and academic journals. Excellent for tracking trends for your specific product or industry. 

Start here: Drews, K. (2011, Nov 07). B.C. salmon inquiry asked to weigh fish farms' risks on migrating stocks. The Canadian Press.
Start here: Gross, M. (2011). The aquaculture controversy in canada: Activism, policy, and contested science. Canadian Journal of Sociology (Online), 36(1), 121-123.

Canadian Newsstand
Provides full-text access to many Canadian national and regional newspapers. Content is updated daily, following a two-day embargo period. Some content dates back to 1985. You can easily set up an article alert service and receive email updates on your search results. All you need to do is complete your search and click on the Set Up Alert link near the top of your results. Provide your email address and then set the notification frequency and you're good to go! Try searching your industry, track information on your competitors or other any other topic of your choice.

Start here: AgriMarine signs 4-year deal with california food retailer. (2011, Oct 14). Courier - Islander, pp. A.2.

First Research Industry Profiles
First Research provides industry profiles covering over 900 industry segments. Updated on a quarterly basis First Research industry profiles contain critical analysis, statistics and forecasts to help you engage key prospects, coach key clients, and deepen customer relationships. You can search for reports by NAICS, SIC or keyword or browse by category here: http://www.firstresearch.com/industry-profiles.aspx. Contact Small Business BC for access to many of these reports.

Start here: Aquaculture Industry Profile

Associations & Magazines

Associations & Magazines Are Great Sources of Industry Information

Trade associations work to keep individuals within a particular industry informed about their industry through newsletters, magazines, and trade fairs. The information can range from a detailed focus on a specific product line to general coverage of an industry, or key business risks and trends. Industry and professional association websites can be excellent sources of free information, whether or not you are a member of that organization. In addition, you can find news about industries via government websites, news databases, news directories, and search engines.

Associations 

Trade associations often publish free industry newsletters that are excellent sources of information for your business plan. Such newsletters often have articles that cover in-depth topics on business management, manufacturing practices, how-tos, and current industry news. Make sure to check online for the trade association websites, as many of them publish an electronic version of their industry newsletter.

BC Salmon Marketing Council | The British Columbia Salmon Marketing Council is an association formed in 1991 to represent the harvesters and processors of commercially caught BC wild salmon.

Gulf Trollers Association | "The Gulf Trollers Association is an industry organization of independent owner/operators of troll fishing vessels, engaged in the commercial salmon fishery on the West Coast of Canada." Check out their list of commercial fishing in BC links.

Aquaculture Association of Canada (AAC) |  This national organization promotes, supports, and encourages educational, scientific, and technological development and advancement of aquaculture in Canada. Click to view their recent publication: Canadian Aquaculture R & D (2011).

Canadian Aquaculture Industry Alliance (CAIA) | A national industry association, headquartered in Ottawa, that represents Canadian aquaculture operators, feed companies and suppliers, as well as provincial finfish and shellfish aquaculture associations.

Underwater Harvesters Association (UHA) | The UHA membership includes most participants in the fishery, namely the 55 licence holders, crew members from harvesting vessels, and all of the major wholesalers of geoduck in British Columbia.

Aboriginal Aquaculture Association | The Aboriginal Aquaculture Association was established as a federally incorporated company in July, 2003 by six Founding Members, representing a cross-section of aboriginal leaders in British Columbia.

Magazines / Trade Journals

Trade journals (often called magazines or publications) can be very useful in helping you find current articles relating to business research. Contact your local research library to determine which trade journal subscriptions it maintains. There are also free trade publications that you can access online.

Aquaculture North America
Aquaculture North America is the premiere trade newspaper for all aquaculture industry professionals in North America. (View a sample issue).

Bulletin of Aquaculture Association of Canada
Back issues of this magazine are available to members of the AAC. 

Blogs & Forums

Informal Information Sources to Help You Stay Current 

In this section we have gathered some of the most popular peer-to-peer information sources, such as blogs, discussion forums and other social media resources. Industry information is always changing - for the latest news, current issues and popular opinions - try following one or more of these sources. In addition, blogs and forums usually give you the opportunity to join the conversation, either by posting comments, questions or opinions of your own. 

Aquaculture Blogs:

The New Aquaculture
A journalist's exploration of aquaculture's evolution

Aquaculture Communications Group Blog
This blog is run by ACG and focuses on the science and technology of aquaculture.

Start here: A rush to convict: BC aquaculture industry vindicated

Aquaculture Discussion Forums:

Aqua-L: Discussion forum for the Aquaculture Association of Canada
The AQUA-L listserver is an aquaculture discussion group.

Key Websites

Finding The Best Online Information Is Tough

In this section we have gathered some of the most reliable government and employment websites for you to use in your research.

Canadian Information:

Canada Business Network: Industry Sector Data
Industry-specific data will help you understand the current status and future projections for your industry. This knowledge is invaluable as you begin your business and plan for the next several years.

Start here: Scroll down to Agriculture and agri-food research and statistics.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Aquaculture
This government body conducts research on and regulates sectors of the Canadian aquaculture industry. You will find statistics, key information and other resources on their webpage.

Start here: Economic and Socio-Economic Impact of Aquaculture in Canada
Start here: Aquaculture Canada: Facts and Figures
Start here: Aquaculture in the Pacific Region

A Guide to the BC Economy and Labour Market
Use this resource to learn about the current trends and future outlook of the  BC economy and labour market. The Guide includes information on industries, occupations, earnings, and job outlooks.

Start here: Fishing, Hunting & Trapping
Start here: Creating Your Own Job: The Self-employment Phenomenon

BC Stats
Current reports and statistics from British Columbia's central statistical agency including labour market information, economic statistics and bankruptcies by NAICS code.

Start here: Economic Statistics
Start here: Business and Industry

Start here: Fisheries, Aquaculture, Hunting and Trapping Publications, Reports, and Links (2001 - 2007)
Start here: Analytical Reports on Fisheries, Aquaculture, Hunting & Trapping (2000 - 2013)

WorkBC
Find current employment outlooks, relevant links, and a geographic representation of the BC workforce. An excellent site to start your industry information research.

Start here: Occupation Profile - Aquaculture and Marine Harvest Labourers
Start here: Occupation Profile - Aquaculture Operators and Managers

Industry Canada
Canada's most comprehensive source for both Canadian and international business information and statistics. Provides market research, industry statistics, company directories, and information about doing business internationally. The Industry Canada site features interactive applications such as customizable benchmarking tools, cost calculators, and online business planning guides. You can also search Canadian industry statistics by NAICS code.

Start here: Definition - Animal Production (NAICS 112)

Statistics Canada
The premier source for Canadian statistical information. Some information is available for free on the Statistics Canada website. You can also obtain full access to Statistics Canada's electronic publications through Government of Canada Publications. Other statistical data is available through CANSIM. 

Start here: Aquaculture statistics
Start here: Food in Canada

Working in Canada
The Government of Canada's leading source for labour market information. The site is designed to assist individuals who are searching for work or looking to make career decisions.

Alberta Enterprise and Advanced Education
Provides information on economic development, labour, trades and apprenticeships as well as industry descriptions and data from the Province of Alberta.

Start here: Agricultural Industry (2012)

International and/or American Information:

Business.gov - Business Data on Specific Industries
This site is created and managed by the US Small Business Administration (SBA) and lists data about specific industries that are collected by US government agencies.

Start here: Aquaculture Operations - Production and General Information

Career InfoNet
A good way to research trends in the US labour market. Provides detailed labour information by state.

HighBeam Business: Industry Reports
These industry reports provide statistics, trends, market analysis, and industry news on a wide range of industries. HighBeam Business is operated by The Gale Group, a well-known and respected publisher of reference directories and databases for libraries and academia, and it is part of the larger information and publishing firm Cengage Learning.

Start here: Fish Hatcheries and Preserves
Start here: Animal Aquaculture

US Census Bureau Industry Sampler
Provides access to high level US Industry overviews and statistics. This site is especially useful if you cannot find comparable Canadian data.

Industry Portals
Provides major sources of relevant information for over 100 US industries.

Start here: Scroll down to Aquaculture - Fish Farming

MarketWatch - Industry Analyzer
The Industries section contains current data on Dow Jones Industry Sectors. Aggregate data as well as company-specific data is available.

Reportlinker.com
ReportLinker is a professional search engine which gives you access to an exclusive database of 1.2 million market reports and counting. Use this search engine to find official Industry reports, Company profiles and Market Statistics. Please note: information listed on this website may be very expensive but it may be possible to get access to specific reports elsewhere.

 

You might want to jump ahead to the news websites listed in the next section of this Accelerator Guide for more resources. News websites can often be good sources of industry, competitive and consumer information.

Regulations & Guidelines

Start With These Websites To Learn More About Compliance Issues

When it comes to starting a business, one of the first decisions you need to make is the the legal structure of your business - sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability partnership, or limited company. You'll also need to register your business and you'll need to be aware of many municipal, provincial or federal regulations. The websites in this section will help you.

Small Business BC (SBBC)
SBBC is a great place to start for information on BC specific regulations and guidelines, for whatever stage you are in your business development.

BizPaL
This is the one-stop website to assist Canadian businesses that are just starting up, or expanding into new areas. BizPaL asks you a short series of questions about the nature and scope of your current or proposed business. Based on your answers, BizPaL provides you with a customized list of government permits and licences that you may require to operate your business. All of the information that you provide is kept anonymous, and you may save or print your results for future reference.

Canada Revenue Agency - Business
This section of the Canadian federal tax agency's website contains important taxation and documentation requirements that businesses operating in Canada must adhere to.

Start here: Keeping records
Start here: Business Number (BN) registration
Start here: Business expenses

The Province of British Columbia Provides information on programs and resources available to small business owners in British Columbia. Includes information on taxes and industry regulations.

Start here: Permits, Licences & Registrations

Start With These Websites For Industry Specific Info

Fisheries and Oceans Canada - Aquaculture
The federal role in regulating the aquaculture industry involves such areas as research, technology transfer, training and development, access to financing and environmental sustainability relating to the industry.

BC Ministry of Agriculture (Fisheries and Aquaculture)
The provincial body responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with BC fisheries acts and regulations.

Start here: Fisheries Act
Start here: Aquaculture Regulation
Start here: Fish Inspection Act
Start here: Environmental Management Act

Cohen Commission
This is the commission that is inquiring into the decline of sockeye salmon in the Fraser River.

Start here: Policy and Practice Report: Aquaculture Regulation in British Columbia (July 2011)

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) provides information, research and technology, and policies and programs to achieve an environmentally sustainable agriculture, agri-food and agri-based products sector.

Environment Canada
Environment Canada's Enforcement Branch is responsible for Canada's environmental and wildlife legislation. The Branch also participates in the development and administration of several other acts, as well as advises various federal agencies on other pieces of legislation.

Health Canada
Health Canada is the Federal department responsible for helping Canadians maintain and improve their health. Health Canada is engaged in various activities related to health, including preserving and modernizing Canada's health care system, enhancing and protecting the health of Canadians, and communicating health promotion and disease prevention.

Department of Justice Canada
Canadian Federal Government website with important information on various statutes and regulations.

Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
The CSA is a not-for-profit membership-based association that serves business, industry, government, and consumers in Canada and the global marketplace. The CSA develops standards that enhance public safety and health.

Tips On Company Research

Company Research For Your Competitive Analysis

An in-depth investigation and analysis of your competition is one of the most important components of a comprehensive market analysis. A competitive analysis allows you to assess your competitors' strengths and weaknesses in the marketplace, and to implement effective strategies to improve your competitive advantage. Here are some research strategies for doing your competitive analysis:

• Company directories can be used to create lists of competitors by industry, product line, size, etc.
• Doing a company name search in a general research database is an excellent way to learn more about your competitor’s products, services, prices, and media coverage.
• If your competitors are public companies, learn more about them by reading their financials and annual reports.
• News archives provide a range of competitive information on both public and private companies.
• Patents are a good way to learn about the technical and design features of a competitors' products. You can refer to this UBC Library Research Guide, created by UBC Engineering Librarians, if you are looking for patent information. Most of the resources listed are freely available.

Finding information on public companies is considerably easier than finding information on privately-held companies. Information on public companies is readily available online, or at your local library. Another good starting point is the list of resources in the next section of this Accelerator Guide: Find Competitors.

Unlike public companies, private companies are not required to file with the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR). Searching for private company information is considerably more difficult and will require a lot of patience, and a healthy dose of creativity. To find information on companies who are your competitors, use the resources listed in the Industry Analysis section.

Find Competitors

Use Directories To Make A List of Competitors

To find lists of competitors and basic information about them (e.g. number of employees, contact information) you will need to consult directories. Many directories are available online for free, while others are fee-based commercial databases. You can find directories that are particular to an industry or geography. Your public library will likely have a good collection of directories that you can consult in person.

Do you already know of a few publically-held companies in your industry?
If so, annual reports can provide a great deal of useful financial information including sales volume, revenue increases, and total market share. You can search the System for Electronic Document Analysis and Retrieval (SEDAR) for annual reports here.

Here is a list of Business Directories

B.C. Business Network
The B.C. Business Network is a a dynamic directory of leading B.C. businesses interested in new opportunities and expanding markets. Search companies by keyword or select the sector from the drop down menu to view all companies in a given sector.

Canadian Companies Capabilities
This Industry Canada database has over 60,000 Canadian businesses including hundreds of specialized manufacturing, service, and product-specific business directories. The business profiles contain comprehensive information on contacts, products, services, trade experience, and technology.

Note: You can search by NAICS Codes and also keep in mind that your results can be presented and printed in comprehensive, short, or custom reports.

Start here: From the main search page, select Go to Detailed Search. Scroll down to the NAICS code search box and type in 1125 - Aquaculture.

Frasers
A comprehensive industrial directory and search tool, with information on products and services provided by Canadian industrial wholesalers, manufacturers, and distributors. You can search by product name, company name, or brand name.

Hoovers
Provides information on 18 million US and international companies, both public and private. Hoover's reports are generated quickly, and are easy to read. A fair amount of information is provided for free, but much more is available with a paid subscription. If you know the company name or ticker symbol of any of the key players in your industry, try searching for their Hoover records to find key information. Use the link above for free information or contact your local research library for access via Proquest.

Start here: Industry Profile: Aquaculture
Start here: Company Directory: Aquaculture (Canada)

Manta
Manta is the world's largest online community for promoting and connecting small business. Manta.com features more than one million registered users and 64 million company profiles.

Start here: Animal Aquaculture Companies in Canada

Canadian Social Enterprise Marketplace
The Canadian Social Enterprise Marketplace offers a directory of social enterprises in rural and urban areas across the country. Search companies by the provided list of sectors, or chose your own keyword. You can also limit your search by city or province.

Start here: Directory Search - Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting

ThomasNet
A listing of manufacturers in the US and Canada. Includes links to product catalogs. ThomasNet is an excellent free source to research your competitors or find suppliers.

Online Maps
Online maps such as Google Maps and Bing Maps are a fast way to locate nearby competitors, and to get a better sense of the region your business operates within. Try searching for the name of your product or industry and narrowing your results by focusing the map on a specific location, such as a city or neighborhood.

   

Google Maps / Bing Maps

Business in Vancouver, Book of Lists
Comprehensive collection of BC business data. Provides data on over 1000 companies including: websites, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, top executives' names, company age, revenues, profits and much more. Please note: this reference resource is only available in print, for in-person library users.

Canadian Key Business Directory
Features the top 20,000 companies with $5M+ in sales, 50 employees at a single location or headquarters, or 250 employees in total. Each record contains company name, trade style name, full address and telephone number, number of employees, sales volume, year established, subsidiaries, primary and secondary SIC codes, and key executive contact names and titles. Search tip: choose Companies by Industry for public companies, and Lead List Generator for private companies.
Please note: this reference resource is only available in print, for in-person library users.

Reference Canada
Provides information on more than one million businesses throughout Canada. Includes name, address, phone number, contacts, number of employees, annual sales volumes, line of business, and credit rating. 

Trade Shows

Attending trade shows is an excellent way to learn more about your competitors. Contact local associations or read trade publications to find out what trade shows are coming to your community.

British Columbia Trade Show Directory (2011)
This is an excellent list of BC trade shows created by Small Business BC.

BizTradeShows
The largest worldwide online directory of trade fairs, business exhibitions, trade shows, conferences, and seminars for various industries. Search for trade shows by industry, country, date, organizer, or venue.

TSNN.com
Online directory of trade shows, exhibitions, public events, conferences and seminars.  Free registration required.

Find Financial Information

Find Competitor's Financial Information, Annual Reports, Filings, Etc.

One thing you will need to do in the financials section of your business plan is discuss how you will price your products and/or services, and how this compares to your competitors. You will need to develop a financial plan that includes your projected revenues and net income. The following resources will help you find financial information on competitors in your industry.

Sources For Finding Financial Information:

EDGAR
Filings with the US Securities & Exchange Commission by companies listed on US exchanges. 10K reports include detailed information on company history, structure, financial statements, and other relevant data.

Financial Post Infomart
Offers corporate information and financial reports for Canada's leading 500 companies. Includes analytical tools to examine data for approximately 1400 Canadian companies. Use the Industry Reports or Companies by Industry databases. Check out this detailed guide to searching Infomart. Please note: only some information is free. Check with your local library for complete access to this resource.

SME Benchmarking Tool (formerly Performance Plus)
Tool for benchmarking your financial reports with others in your sector. Website also includes a collection of financial data and annual reports of various Canadian companies. Start by searching your NAICS code. Click here for instructions on using the SME Benchmarking Tool.

Note: Use NAICS code [Add NAICS Code here] for your report.

SEDAR
A collection of corporate filings that are required by securities regulators, from companies operating in Canada. This website is an excellent source for information about a company's plans, competitive environment, markets, products, and assets. SEDAR is the Canadian equivalent of EDGAR.

LexisNexis Academic
Provides access to business and financial news, US and international company financial information, market research, industry reports, and actual SEC filings. Search features permit comparison of companies based on criteria such as sales, income, and number of employees. Follow the 'Business' link to find company annual reports, financial, and credit reports. Check here to see what BC institutions provide access to this database.

Sources For Finding Ratios:

Ratios are tools that allow you to plan and assess your company's progress over time, and to compare it to other companies in the same industry. There are different kinds of ratios, including operating ratios, financial ratios, performance indicators, and benchmarks.

Financial Performance Indicators for Canadian Business
Offers current financial ratios by industry, based on data provided by Statistics Canada. The indicators are designed to serve as financial performance benchmarks against which individual firms and industries can be compared.

News Sources

Media Coverage Can Reveal A Lot About Your Industry and Competitors

News articles can be great sources for understanding what your competitors are planning, what new products they are launching, and important information on how they structure their organization. A librarian can help you find relevant online news articles. Don't forget that you can also use media sources to research business and industry trends.

Organic Aquaculture News and Links
This site updates regularly with Canadian news related to the aquaculture industry. A great source for up to date info. Curated by the COABC - Certified Organic Associations of BC.

CanadaNewsWire
A free news database that is searchable by company name, keyword, or industry sector.

NewsLink
Links to local and international news source websites. Provides access to both current and archived news stories, which allows you to track trends over time.

YAHOO! Canada Business News
Excellent source for current Canadian business news. The website also features an extensive business news archive section.

Canadian Business and Current Affairs (CBCA)
Provides access to general and specialized business information, current events, and reference materials, including popular and academic journals. Excellent for tracking trends for your specific product or industry. 

Canadian Newsstand
Provides full-text access to many Canadian national and regional newspapers. Content is updated daily, following a two-day embargo period. Some content dates back to 1985. You can easily set up an article alert service and receive email updates on your search results. All you need to do is complete your search and click on the Set Up Alert link near the top of your results. Provide your email address and then set the notification frequency and you're good to go! Try searching your industry, track information on your competitors or other any other topic of your choice.

You can easily set up an article alert in Canadian Newstand to learn about your industry, track information on competitors or other relevant topics. All you need to do is try out your search and click on the Set Up Alert link in you results. Provide your email address and set the notification frequency and you're good to go!

Market Share & Size

Putting Together Your Piece Of The Pie

Both market size and market share held by competitors are key factors when assessing the competitive environment. Keep in mind that there is no single source of market size and market share data. Market information is usually pieced together from various sources. Identify and describe your market – who your customers are and what the demand is for your products and services.

ABI Inform
Contains full-text articles from over 1000 business magazines and journals that track business conditions, trends, management techniques, corporate strategies, and industry-specific topics.

Business Source Complete / Business Source Premier
Quarterly reports on major industries in 175 countries. Includes 5-year forecasts and SWOT analyses. Also includes information on industry trends, forecasts, outlooks, competitors, how to run a specific business, and much more.

This resource is currently part of a suite of provincially licensed databases called the Undergraduate Foundation Collection. For more information on the status of this database contact ELN.

eMarketer
Global market research and trend analysis database that focuses on Internet, e-business, online marketing, media, and emerging technologies.

Market Share Reporter
Annual compilation of international market share data on selected companies, products, and services. Helpful tip: Use the back-of-book indexes to look up products, services, brands, and companies. If you are searching for information specific to a certain country, be sure to check the table title.

Demographic Data

Demographic Analysis is Critical to Your Success

The resources listed in this section will help you identify population characteristics, and help you develop your customer profile. This research will also help you identify geographic areas where the largest number of your potential customers live. This can be very useful when determining a location for your business, and also when formulating your marketing strategy. Don't forget that trade associations and trade journals collect information about customers and can be great information sources for this area of your research.

Community Information Database (CID)
The Community Information Database (CID) is a free internet-based resource that provides access to socio-economic and demographic data for all communities across Canada. Sample data includes: population, education, income, employment, families, and much more. The CID also includes an interactive map for displaying and accessing data. Learn more by reading FAQs here. To Get Started Try: Community Information Database (CID) Tutorials

Annual Demographic Estimates: Canada, Provinces and Territories | Statistics Canada
This publication presents annual estimates of the total population and annual estimates by age and sex for Canada, provinces and territories. It also contains highlights and analysis of the most current demographic trends, as well as a description of the concepts, methods and data quality of the estimates.

CANSIM | Statistics Canada
Statistics Canada's key socioeconomic database. Canadian economic, demographic, and social statistics. Information is updated daily. CANSIM data are now available free of charge.  

City Stats
Designed for those involved in the property markets, this site is a good starting point for basic information about BC cities including population, weather, demographics, income, etc. You can search by city or browse by province. WARNING: information is a little dated in some areas.

Community Profiles | Statistics Canada
Provides Canadian community profiles from the latest Census of Canada. These profiles are very useful for comparing statistics on different municipalities or regional districts. Includes details on family characteristics, language spoken, mobility, educational attainment, martial status, labour force activity, earnings, and mode of transportation to work.

Market Research Handbook | Statistics Canada
A comprehensive source of socio-economic statistics. Data includes profiles of key industries, including the small business sector, as well as of consumers in all the provinces and in 45 major cities across Canada. Also includes information on international trade data, households, families, and selected economic indicators. The Market Research Handbook was published annually until 2008, but is now discontinued. Click here for a copy of the 2008 version in PDF format.

Regional and Community Facts | BC Stats
Short overviews of communities with information on population, new business incorporations, bankruptcies, construction activity, counts of business establishments, and value/taxes on a 'representative' house specific to each municipality and regional district. Please note: you can access this content for free on the BC Stats website, but in some cases, access to subscription content will be blocked. Contact your local public or academic library to obtain complete access.

Canadian Advertising Rates and Data (CARD)
Advertising rates and related data on significant Canadian and international media. Use this resource to obtain statistics on the subscriber population for a particular publication that serves your target market. May be available online through your local academic or public library. Very little information is available for free; find more information about CARDonline here.

eCirc - Audit Bureau of Circulations
Use this website to find the total circulation of publications by various Canadian Advertising CARD categories.

PCensus
Provides access to detailed Canadian demographic information including population, income, and spending levels by province, city, or postal code. PCensus can also generate custom reports using Census data. Contact Vancouver Public Library or your local research library to obtain access.

FP Markets - Canadian Demographics
This publication updates key census variables at the municipal level to the current year. It also includes psychographic data as well as economic and retail trade estimates. In addition to census data, FP Markets also includes data for PSYTE categories or "clusters" of characteristics (age, income, ethnic origin, neighbourhoods, dwelling types, buying preferences and other data derived from the census and consumer surveys).The Canadian version of PSYTE classifies Canadians according to 65 clusters of characteristics. This is the version used in FP Markets. If the cluster descriptions fit your target market, you may find the PSYTE data in FP Markets a useful supplement to other data in your report. Follow this link for more information on PSYTE® Canada Advantage Cluster Descriptions.

Your Target Market

A Word On Primary Research

Sometimes doing your own market research is the only way to learn about your potential customers. If this is the case, you may need to conduct focus groups, interviews, surveys, or some other form of data collection. But before you commit time and energy to this kind of research, be sure to try the sources listed in this section.

British Columbia Survey of Household Spending 2010 (pdf)
The data from this release came from the 2009 Survey of Household Spending conducted by Statistics Canada. The Survey of Household Spending is carried out annually across Canada in ten provinces. The purpose of this survey is to obtain information about household spending, dwelling characteristics, as well as household equipment.

What you'll find: The average household expenditure in British Columbia on food purchases.

Spending Patterns in Canada
This report summarizes findings from an annual survey called the Survey of Household Spending (SHS). Report includes detailed information on Canadian spending patterns, household equipment, and housing conditions. This report is published annually.

What you'll find: The average household expenditure on total food expenses by province or in Canada as a whole. Compare changes over last few years.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada provides information and programs for those who raise animals or who grow plants for food, feed or industrial use. This web resource features a comprehensive collection of agricultural information including economic forecasts and statistics, policies and acts, incentive programs and other services.

Start here: Canadian Consumers

Print Measurement Bureau
Includes information on Canadians' usage of over 3500 products and services. Information includes demographics, attitudes, media consumption, retail outlets, frequency of usage and brands used. 

Start here: PMB Category Reports - PMB 2011 Spring Study. Information on the personal buying preferences of Canadians with regard to Fish & Seafood. Check for relevant data under the Groceries headings then select either Fish & Seafood or Canned Fish.

Marketresearch.com
While you can search this website only some Canadian libraries provide full-text access to the market research reports on industries and demographics for North American industries. They can range from 50 to 400+ pages in length, and contain charts, tables, and graphs, and key facts. Marketresearch has varied industry coverage and includes US and international information. Check your local public or academic library to see about access.

Start here: Packaged Facts. (2011). Meat, Poultry, Fish, and Seafood Trends: What's for Dinner 2011.
Start here: Packaged Facts. (2011). U.S. Market for Fish and Seafood, with a Focus on Fresh.
Start here: Packaged Facts. (2011). Foodies in the U.S.: Organic/Natural Foodies.