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Small business owners are doing their part to create jobs and grow the economy and they expect the government to break down tax and regulatory barriers as opposed to creating them

Small business says Ontario election should be about jobs and the economy



Toronto, – With the Ontario election fast approaching, virtually every small business owner (97 per cent) in the province is concerned about the current state of the provincial economy. To make matters worse, entrepreneurs feel left on the sidelines - close to three quarters (73 per cent) do not believe that their concerns and priorities will receive attention leading up to the election. This according to a survey conducted by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) with 3,274 small and medium-sized business owners in Ontario.
“Given that small and medium-sized businesses employ half of all Ontarians, they expect their voice to be heard in this election,” said CFIB Ontario vice-president Plamen Petkov. “Entrepreneurs want to see the next government focus on balancing the books, reducing taxes and fostering a climate for job creation.” Instead, one of the most heated issues in this election campaign has been the proposed Ontario Retirement Pension Plan (ORPP). Small business owners surveyed overwhelmingly opposed implementation of the plan (86 per cent), citing the disastrous impact it would have on their payroll. In fact, if the ORPP comes to pass, 69 per cent of small businesses would have to freeze or cut salaries, 53 per cent would reduce the number of employees to cope with the added costs forced on them, and 13 per cent might even have to close down.

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“Realistically, any government that implements costly payroll tax measures such as a mandatory provincial pension plan is not putting Ontario’s small businesses in a position to successfully compete,” added Petkov. “Not surprisingly, 80 per cent of small business owners would be unlikely to vote for a candidate that supports the implementation of a mandatory ORPP.” Other issues identified as important to small business owners include cutting red tape, reducing energy costs, funding infrastructure development from existing budget revenue and reducing apprenticeship ratios in the skilled trades. “Small business owners are doing their part to create jobs and grow the economy and they expect the government to break down tax and regulatory barriers as opposed to creating them,” said Nicole Troster, CFIB’s senior policy analyst for Ontario. “Given the vital role they play in the province, entrepreneurs’ concerns and priorities should be addressed by all party leaders and by the next government.” For the survey results, please visit www.cfib.ca/on.


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