Winnipeg, August 28, 2026 – The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) welcomes the Manitoba government’s $100 million package to support businesses, workers and producers through ongoing trade uncertainty, but says more direct relief is needed for small businesses facing higher costs and prolonged uncertainty.
“We’re pleased to see the Manitoba government responding to the challenges businesses are facing, and measures like the new Trade Resilience Loan Program and the deferral of RST and payroll tax payments from September 1 to December 31, 2026, will provide some businesses with important breathing room,” said Brianna Solberg, CFIB’s Director for the Prairies and Northern Canada. “But a loan still has to be paid back, and a tax deferral is still a tax bill that eventually comes due. With no clear end in sight to this trade uncertainty, small businesses also need genuine, permanent cost relief.”
CFIB also welcomes the province’s $13.7 million Tariff Workforce Stabilization and Youth Employment Program, which will provide wage subsidies to employers, as well as funding to support interprovincial trade missions for Manitoba alcohol producers and craft breweries.
“Helping businesses retain workers, create opportunities for young Manitobans and reach customers elsewhere in Canada will be increasingly important as uncertainty continues in the U.S. market,” Solberg said. “Reducing barriers to interprovincial trade will also help Manitoba businesses diversify and build greater resilience over the longer term.”
CFIB has been calling on the Manitoba government to improve the province’s competitiveness and reduce costs for small businesses, including by raising the small business corporate tax threshold from $500,000 to $700,000 and removing RST from capital expenditures.
“Small businesses are being asked to navigate tariffs, higher input costs and weaker consumer demand, and we don’t know how long this trade uncertainty will last,” added Solberg. “Providing real tax relief would put money directly back into the hands of entrepreneurs and give them the flexibility to weather this storm, invest and keep people employed.”
Today’s announcement is a good first step, and CFIB looks forward to working with the Manitoba government to ensure these supports reach the small businesses that need them most.
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Robin Bezte, CFIB
204-294-5178
Robin.bezte@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 (11,000 in Alberta) 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.
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