Toronto, May 15, 2025 – On behalf of our 39,000 small- and medium-sized business members in all sectors across the province, we commend the Ontario government for listening and acting on two key CFIB priorities to help our members survive the ongoing economic war with the U.S.: more Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) surplus funds returned to eligible businesses that pay into the WSIB, and permanent gas & fuel tax relief.
The additional $2B in WSIB surplus funds relief in 2025 is particularly good news for our members. It will allow business owners to invest in their employees and their operations, without jeopardizing the board’s strong financial health. On top of legislation that determines how and when surplus funds are distributed to eligible businesses, WSIB policy aims to keep the board’s funding level within the target range of 110-120%.
Making Ontario’s gas and fuel tax cuts permanent is supported by an overwhelming 88% of Ontario small business owners. It will help them continue to address the ever-rising costs of doing business and provide predictability in turbulent times and beyond.
The government’s continued focus on record infrastructure spending highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive provincial construction mitigation program that includes direct compensation to small businesses for lengthy, disruptive builds. The government should also clear the legislative path for municipalities to provide similar financial support for local projects.
We look forward to continuing our work with the Ontario government on other tangible actions to help small businesses, especially our Number One priority of lowering the Small Business Tax Rate (SBTR) from 3.2%-2% and elevating its threshold from $500,000-$700,000. CFIB estimates that both actions would save an Ontario small business up to $25,000 annually.
We hope to see movement on the SBTR and/or threshold by the province’s Fall Economic Statement. Ontario still has the highest regional SBTR in the country (tied with Quebec at 3.2%), and the SBTR threshold has remained unchanged since 2007. A resounding 84% of CFIB members who qualify for Ontario’s small business deduction agree that the provincial government should lower the SBTR and increase its threshold.
We will review the budget in detail in the coming days to develop a clearer understanding of how it impacts our broad membership across the province.
-Angela Drennan, Vice-President, Legislative Affairs (Ontario)
-Julie Kwiecinski, Director of Provincial Affairs (Ontario)
-Joseph Falzata, Policy Analyst (Ontario)
For media inquiries or interviews, please contact:
Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB
647-464-2814
public.affairs@cfib.ca
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small- and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region, including 39,000 in Ontario. 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.
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