Regular Membership – Summary of Results

In January 2026, STEP conducted the Annual Membership Survey as part of an ongoing commitment to monitor both the quality and demand for products and services offered to members. The survey and the results received are integral to serving members’ needs as well the desire to deliver them in the most efficient and effective manner.

The survey was distributed electronically to 300 Premium, Regular, and Pre-Market STEP members. At the close of the survey, 48 responses were received accounting for a response rate of 16%, which is a decrease of 7% from the 2024 Membership Survey.

Survey results indicate that STEP’s core services continue to be a strong fit to the unique needs of exporters in Saskatchewan. Results note that uptake of service remains consistent as 81% of members plan to use Market Intelligence and Research Report services, 63% plan to attend Outgoing Trade Missions, 58% plan to use Trade Leads, and 54% plan to attend Business to Business Meetings.

100% of respondents indicated they would recommend a STEP membership to other exporters and 81% of respondents indicated that they received very high/high value for their membership investment. This strong endorsement is viewed as an important message of value as it is derived directly from the membership base who are the consumers of the products and services offered.

The 2025 Membership Survey also asked members to rate the level of satisfaction with STEP services. Member respondents are most satisfied with Market Access Program (MAP) at 87%, Business to Business Meetings at 81%, and Outgoing Trade Missions at 78%.

STEP members were asked to identify their top three target market markets. Survey results indicate that the top target market for 2025 was the USA as identified by 44% of members. The second target market was Canada (21%) with Asia ranking third (8%).

To rate the membership experiences and working relationships with STEP, a similar line of questions was followed from previous years to establish a trend analysis. Primary service utilization responses from 2025 have been noted in a summary format on page 4. The summary also includes the variance levels for comparisons of primary service utilization responses from 2022 – 2025.

Key survey findings are as follows:

  • 100% of respondents indicated a willingness to recommend a STEP membership to other exporters.
  • 81% of respondents indicated that they received very high/high value for their membership investment.
  • 81% of respondents indicated that STEP has worked very effectively/effectively with their company to expand their export market initiatives.
  • 77% of respondents indicated that STEP has a very high/high understanding of their industry or sector.
  • 65% of respondents indicated that STEP has a very high/high understanding of their company’s export requirements.

This year, STEP asked members to provide input on future priorities and measures of success. Overall, members emphasized the importance of STEP acting as a connector to buyers and a market intelligence leader to support international growth, while delivering strong relationships and responsive service as core membership value.

There was a clear call for greater market diversification beyond the U.S., with many respondents highlighting emerging and non-U.S. markets as critical to reducing risk and capturing new opportunities, while still maintaining support for the U.S. market.

In advocacy, members prioritized trade policy, tariff and non-tariff barrier reduction, and strong government relations. Looking ahead, respondents expressed a strong preference for customized, in-market support tailored to sector needs.

Ultimately, members defined success over the next three to five years as tangible export growth, expanded global market access, reduced trade barriers, increased funding and capacity, strong staff expertise, and clear evidence that STEP’s efforts directly contribute to increased sales, diversification, and Saskatchewan’s reputation as a competitive global exporter.

The 2025 Membership Survey also included questions pertaining to members’ business activities and a request to seek the dollar value of annual export sales for 2025. It is noted that for this survey, “export” is defined as all sales originating outside of Saskatchewan.

Key survey findings are as follows:

  • The total dollar value of export sales in 2025 was reported to be $7,857,061,403.
  • The average dollar value of export sales in 2024 was reported to be $1,712,660,486.