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20 + WATERLOO CHRONICLE + Wednesday, April 30, 2008 VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE TODAY! www.waterloochronicle.ca ONâ€"LINE Onâ€"line voting ends Tuesday, May 6/08 The diversity of business enterprises in Waterloo Region is evident in a new study that examines the 2006 revenues of enterprises. Businesses diverse in region The report, prepared by Community Benchmarks, was released last week by Canada‘s Technology Triangle Inc. â€" Total 2006 revenue reported by the 28,688 Waterloo Region enterprises was $47 billion.. Larger businesses â€" those with 200 or more employees â€" accounted for 47.8 per cent of the total revenue generated in the region. At the other end of the employment scale, firms with fewer than 20 employees collectively represented 20 per cent of the total. Manufacturing enterprises accounted for over oneâ€"third of the total revenue at 35.5 per Continued from page 19 Wilkins emphasized that curâ€" rent President George Bush is a strong supporter of free trade, and that no matter who wins the fall election, the ambassaâ€" dor is confident the new presiâ€" dent will consider the overâ€" whelming evidence indicating enhanced trade and productiviâ€" ty is beneficial for all nations within the agreement. The international orientation of businesses in Ontario‘s Waterâ€" loo Region is again highlighted in a new study on the export performance of the region‘s businesses. Prospects for stability more distant The analysis was released last week by Canada‘s Technology Exports demonstrate strength of local businesses Total exports by Waterloo cent. These firms, however, repâ€" resented only 6.3 per cent of the total number of enterprises. From a sector perspective, automotive and other transâ€" portation equipment manufacâ€" turing led the revenue parade with 14 per cent of total revenue or $6.7 billion. In terms of numbers of employees, the research indiâ€" cates that there are 460 enterâ€" prises in Canada‘s Technology Triangle with 100 employees or more, and over 900 enterprises with 50 employees or more. Ownerâ€"operated businesses account for 55.5 per cent of the 28,688 enterprises included in the data base and generate a large proportion of revenues in business sectors such as gasoâ€" line stations, real estate, animal and crop production, and As noted in our column last intense and fervent American January, the economic volatility _ presidéntial campaign. we experienced in 2007 origiâ€" nating primarily from a high Canadian dollar appeared unlikely to stabilize within the se immediate future. Todd Letts is president and CE immediate future. Todd Letts is president and CEO With the emergence of escaâ€" and Art Sinclair is director of lating gasoline prices combined economic development for the with surprising food cost Greater Kitchener Waterloo increases, the prospects for staâ€" Chamber of Commerce, bility are even more distant â€" Ontario‘s largest accredited providing the platform for an Chamber of Commerce. region businesses in 2005 were worth more than $11.6 billion â€" an increase of 43.8 per cent from "This is astoundingly strong when compared to national and provincial figures," said John Tennant, chief executive officer of Canada‘s Technology Triangle Inc. building construction. "This analysis again affirms the diversity, dynamism and entrepreneurship that marks the Waterloo Region. It highâ€" lights the importance of the manufacturing, education, insurance, professional services and realty sectors," said John Tennant, the chief executive officer of Canada‘s Technology Triangle. "This data and information is extremely valuable to busiâ€" ness and government in better analyzing and understanding the structure of our important regional economy." This is the first time that an analysis of this type has been undertaken. The data is for 2006 and was provided by Statistics Canada. The data base comâ€" prised 28,688 area enterprises. Over the same period, Ontario‘s exports declined by three per cent, while Canadian exports were up by 5.6 per cent. "Waterloo Region firms exported more goods in 2005 than five Canadian provinces â€" each of the four Atlantic provinces and Manitoba," added Tennant.