The economy and small business recovery are the top election issues for businesses, survey says

The economy is the top issue small business owners want addressed in the upcoming federal election (78 per cent), with small business recovery coming in second (74 per cent), but less than a quarter of business owners (24 per cent) are confident that their concerns will receive enough attention, according to a new survey from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

CFIB has launched a new petition business owners can sign at cfib.ca/electionpetition to tell all federal parties what measures they want to see in their platforms.

“Small businesses have been through the wringer over the past 16 months, and many are looking at a long and bumpy road to recovery. They want to see all political parties commit to real measures that can support them now that an election has been called,” said Dan Kelly, President at CFIB.

Canadians also want to see small business issues addressed in the upcoming federal election, according to a separate public opinion poll CFIB conducted among members of the Angus Reid Forum. The economy (59 per cent) and small business recovery (47 per cent) ranked in the top five election issues for Canadians. More than nine in ten Canadians (93 per cent) agreed that small business recovery is crucial for Canada’s economic recovery, with 83 per cent also saying a strong small business platform will be important in this election.

The measures business owners want to see included in federal party platforms include:

• A clear, detailed economic recovery plan (81 per cent), including improving COVID-19 relief programs like the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA), and wage and rent supports for all small businesses
• Plans to reduce the overall tax burden on small business (77 per cent)
• A commitment to control government spending, and a timeframe for balancing the budget (72 per cent)
• A plan that ensures any future changes to Employment Insurance are made with small business in mind (71 per cent)
• Policies to address labour and skills shortages (58 per cent)

“It’s imperative for the next government to have a strong and clear vision for small business recovery. CFIB stands ready to work with all parties as they draft their platforms to ensure the needs of small business owners get centre stage,” said Corinne Pohlmann, senior vice-president of national affairs at CFIB.