The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) represents 40,000 small- and medium-sized businesses in all economic sectors and every municipality across Ontario.
As the level of government with the greatest impact on the day-to-day operations of small businesses, municipalities play a key role in cultivating the right economic climate to attract and support entrepreneurs.
Small businesses bring more than just jobs to municipalities. They also sponsor sports teams and donate their goods and services, becoming the heart of many communities.
Small business owners can have a say in electing our next municipal leaders on Monday, October 26, the date of Ontario’s municipal elections. Since an overwhelming 88% of them told us in a recent CFIB survey that they will vote, we expect our collective voice to be heard loudly and clearly in communities across the province.
Small businesses have been struggling with new tariffs, reduced consumer spending, ever-rising costs, and red tape. Dominating the list of recommendations candidates should embrace on the campaign trail is reducing municipal red tape related to such requirements as building and renovation permits, business licensing, and sign approvals.
Below are recommendations to address red tape and other small business municipal challenges.
Reduce Red Tape
- Establish a Red Tape Reduction Commissioner and Red Tape Reduction Office and designate existing staff to these responsibilities.
- Count all municipal by-laws, policies, and forms (e.g., for permits and licensing) to establish a regulatory burden baseline, and carefully review them to identify unnecessary, excessive, and duplicative requirements.
- Create a Red Tape Feedback Portal where businesses and citizens can report regulatory challenges directly to their municipality.
Ontario business owners can sign CFIB’s petition here to make municipal red tape reduction a priority now!
Create a Construction Mitigation Policy Toolkit
- Designate a Business Liaison Officer with decision-making power to act as the eyes and ears on the ground for businesses affected by lengthy, disruptive municipal construction projects.
- Create a municipal construction webpage that includes regular project updates, temporary parking and signage plans, ongoing business feedback and consultation opportunities, and an interactive, up-to-date map showing areas affected by major construction.
- Defer property taxes or waive penalties and interest on unpaid property taxes for businesses affected by lengthy, disruptive municipal construction projects.
Offer Tariff Relief Through Fee Holidays
- Waive fees for business licences, sign permits, and on-street commercial parking (to incentivize local shopping) for small businesses directly affected by U.S. tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs.
Make Business Property Taxes Affordable
- Improve property tax fairness, so business owners don’t pay more than their fair share.
- Take the Ontario government up on their offer to create a small business property tax subclass with business tax savings of up to 35% that are matched by the Ontario government. (Note: Only Toronto and Ottawa have adopted a small business property tax subclass to date.)
Protect Business Tax Dollars
- Find municipal savings by conducting value-for-money audits of all departments annually as part of the budget process.
- Limit annual spending to population growth and cap it at the inflation rate.