B.C. Election 2026: Small Business Priorities

British Columbians vote on Oct. 24. CFIB is asking every party and candidate to commit to five priorities that B.C. small business owners say would make the biggest difference.

Read the full platform (PDF) 

B.C.'s next government will make decisions on taxes, payroll costs, regulation and the province's finances. Those decisions will shape whether small businesses can survive, invest and grow.

B.C. is in an entrepreneurial drought. More businesses have closed than opened for five consecutive quarters. More than one in four B.C. small businesses (27%) describe their condition as weak or critical. More than half of owners (56%) would not advise someone to start a business today. 

• 56% of B.C. owners would not advise someone to start a business now.
• 78% say addressing rising prices and the cost of doing business should be a high priority for governments.
• 92% are not confident the provincial government has their back as a business owner.

CFIB represents 103,000 small and medium-sized businesses across Canada, including more than 10,000 in B.C. CFIB is non-partisan and does not endorse or oppose any party or candidate.

Five priorities 

1. Lower the cost of doing business
Rising costs are the top concern for B.C. small business owners. CFIB is asking parties to cut the small business tax rate (now 2%) toward zero by 2030. CFIB also wants the small business deduction threshold raised from $500,000 to $700,000 and indexed to inflation.

2. Hold the line on payroll costs
Payroll costs hit small employers whether or not they are profitable. CFIB is asking parties to raise the Employer Health Tax exemption from $1 million to $1.5 million and index it to inflation. CFIB also wants the government to offset the cost of employer-paid sick days and not add any more.

3. Cut red tape
Nearly four in 10 B.C. owners (38%) name red tape among their biggest challenges. CFIB is asking parties to restore a minister responsible for red tape reduction, legislate a two-for-one rule and set predictable response times for government processes. B.C. earned a B+ on CFIB's 2026 Provincial Red Tape Report Card, and CFIB wants it back to an A.

4. Get the province's books in order
B.C. now forecasts a deficit of nearly $13.8 billion for 2026-27. Small business owners worry today's deficits will become tomorrow's tax increases. CFIB is asking parties to restore the ministerial salary holdback tied to a balanced budget. CFIB also wants a credible plan to eliminate the deficit without new costs for small businesses.

5. Repeal the PST expansion
The province paused the expansion of PST to professional services on Sept. 18, but the pause is a temporary regulation and the expansion remains in law. Small business owners cannot plan or price around a tax that could come back at any time. CFIB is asking parties to cancel the expansion and repeal it in legislation.

Also in the platform

The full platform also covers construction disruption, including along the Broadway Subway corridor, crime and public safety, and energy and climate policy.

What happens next

CFIB is sharing these priorities with parties and candidates across B.C., will compare their commitments as platforms are released, and will report back to members. Advance voting runs Oct. 16 to 21. General voting day is Saturday, Oct. 24.

Meeting a candidate at your door or your shop? Ask where they stand on these five. Read the full platform (PDF)

For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:

Kalith Nanayakkara, CFIB

Kalith.Nanayakkara@cfib.ca

About CFIB

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada's largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 103,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners' chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.

CFIB, Your Voice Survey, August 2026, B.C. n=227-229.