When it comes to local economies, few things are as important as thriving small businesses. With municipal elections quickly approaching across the Island, CFIB has put together a small business platform for local candidates to help them keep small businesses front and centre as they seek office.
Commercial properties get taxed at a higher rate than residential ones. This is in spite of the fact that businesses often receive fewer services than residents do.
It's important that all taxpayers are taxed at levels that are fair for the services that they receive. We also don't want to see tax rates increase or the gap between residential and commercial rates grow.
In many smaller Island municipalities, red tape is minimal because the municipality has few, if any, bylaws or restrictions. That said, many of those smaller municipalities are being encouraged to amalgamation into larger ones and the province's Municipal Government Act has created new requirements for all municipalities to create official plans, bylaws, and land use planning. In smaller municipalities, it is crucial that the regulatory burden for businesses is considered when implementing bylaw and policy changes.
In larger municipalities, the need to be an easy place to do business is just as critical. We all want communities where small businesses and entrepreneurs can thrive. All larger municipalities should conduct an evaluation of their regulatory burden and consider ways they can lighten their footprint. For instance, the Halifax Regional Municipality recently adopted a municipal Charter of Governing Principles for Regulation to help guide the way it deals with local businesses. It's a model that could easily be adopted by Island municipalities.
Maintaining quality public infrastructure ranks strongly with small businesses as a means of helping the local economy. Beyond basic considerations, future investments in infrastructure across the Island need to use a forward-looking lens to ensure that public funds are being allocated in ways that meet, not only current needs, but also future needs. This is especially important for communities dealing with demographic shifts.
Elections PEI will handle the elections in Charlottetown, Summerside, Cornwall, and Stratford.
For more information about polling and where to vote, please visit their website: www.electionspei.ca
All other municipalities will have a local electoral officer handle their all-day elections which may differ significantly from what many smaller municipalities typically elected councillors.
For more information, please visit your community's website.