In Alberta, small businesses pay 43% of all municipal property taxes, even though they account for just 21% of total property assessments. Many also face significant sales losses during local construction projects, with the average small business reporting a 40% drop in revenue when work drags on.
With the Fall 2025 Municipal Elections approaching, we’re calling on Alberta’s towns and cities to put small businesses first by adjusting how property taxes are shared and introducing construction mitigation programs to help offset lost sales.
What does this mean for small businesses in Alberta?
A disproportionate property tax burden and lengthy construction disruption can make running a business difficult and limits investment in employees, expansion and growth.
How are we supporting small businesses?
We’re committed to making sure municipal governments hear your voice. We’re pushing for fairer property taxes and construction mitigation programs that help businesses recover losses from lengthy and highly disruptive local projects. To demonstrate strong support, we launched the “Municipalities Must Help Not Harm my Business!” petition, gathering signatures from business owners across the province. We take these petitions directly to decision-makers and maintain pressure through meetings, letters, and media until we see real change on the ground. We never give up, and we never go away!
Do you support our efforts to help small businesses across Canada? Join over 100,000 business owners nationwide by becoming a CFIB member today.