CFIB’s grassroots survey has been a cornerstone of its research since 1975, tracking the top policy concerns of small and medium‑sized business owners across Canada. District Managers collect responses through in‑person interviews during annual member renewals, generating about 7,500 responses per quarter. The survey asks one simple ‘select all that apply’ question: “Which of the following issues are the most important to your business?”. Results are compiled daily and reported quarterly since 2025. While the format has remained unchanged, new options such as crime and safety or trade challenges have been added recently to reflect emerging pressures.
This ongoing feedback gives CFIB real‑time insight into the challenges entrepreneurs face — from taxes and labour shortages to local government costs and red tape. It keeps our advocacy focused on what matters most to small business owners and strengthens our ability to push for meaningful change at all levels of government.
Use the interactive dashboard below to explore results for Canada, by province or industry. You can also view trends over the past 12 months, 5 or 10 years.
Historical trends
- The total tax burden has been the top concern for over 25 years. After peaking at 86% in 2000, the share of entrepreneurs flagging it as an important concern dropped to 66% after the pandemic as inflation took center stage. It’s now climbing again toward its long-term average of 78%.
- The shortage of qualified labour is a very important challenge. Only 30% of business owners indicated it in 1998, but that share peaked at over 60% in recent years. While trending down since 2024, it’s still above its historical average of 47%.
- Government regulation and paperburden seriously concerned 56% of owners in the late 1990s and it climbed to 72% by 2014. To push for change, CFIB launched Red Tape Awareness WeekTM . Today, concern is back near 1990s levels—progress made, but the issue remains.
- Other issues such as employment insurance, workers’ compensation, government debt and provincial labour laws affect fewer businesses, but they are still significant concerns. New worries like trade challenges and crime and safety have emerged and were added to the survey in recent years.
Q4 2025 - Key Takeaways
National Overview
- Total tax burden remains the top concern for small and medium-sized businesses, cited by 74% of respondents.
- The shortage of qualified labour and government regulation and paperwork rank second gathering 54% of responses each.
- Trade challenges, a new addition to the list of topics, are also significant, affecting 43% of SMEs.
- Crime and safety, also a recent addition to the list, are a major concern for more than one-third of small firms (35%).
Provincial picture
Newfoundland and Labrador
The total tax burden not only that it's the dominant concern at 87%, but it has in fact gained traction in Q4. NL registers the highest level of concern over the tax load among all provinces. Labour shortages and government regulation and paperwork follow at 51% and 50% respectively.
Prince Edward Island
PEI firms also cite tax burden as the top issue but at a lower level of concern (58%), with labour shortages at 52% in second place. Concern over workers' compensation issues (37%) is the highest among all provinces.
Nova Scotia
In NS, tax burden leads at 65%, followed by labour shortages at 52%. Government regulation (30%) and government debt (26%) round out the top issues, showing a mix of fiscal and workforce challenges. Red tape issues have been steadily dropping as business owners are recognizing the provincial government's efforts on this front.
New Brunswick
NB businesses rank tax burden first at 62%, with labour shortages close behind at 52%. Government regulation is third at 40%, and government debt at 28% make up the top most important concerns.
Quebec
Quebec stands out with government regulation and paperwork as the top issue at 72%, surpassing tax burden at 66%. Labour shortages follow at 58%. At the other end of the spectrum, concern over crime and safety (16%) is relatively low compared to other provinces.
Ontario
Ontario businesses prioritize tax burden (74%), government debt and deficit (52%) and labour shortages (50%). Cost of local government is the highest among the Eastern provinces at 45%.
Manitoba
In Manitoba, tax burden leads at 79%, followed by government debt and deficit (66%) and labour shortages at 62%. Concern over crime and safety (58%) and trade challenges (56%) are both the highest among all provinces.
Saskatchewan
SK firms rank government debt and deficit (78%) and tax burden (77%) as their top two issues. Government regulation (63%), labour shortages (56%) and crime and safety concern (55%) round up the top five.
Alberta
Alberta shows the second strongest concern for tax burden at 85%, highest in the West. Government debt and deficit (72%) is also much higher than for all other provinces except Saskatchewan.
British Columbia
BC businesses cite tax burden at 79%, government debt at 62% and cost of local government at 60% as their top three issues. Concern over provincial labour laws is by far the highest in BC at 51%. Trade challenges also come in as a very high concern at 51%, the second highest among all provinces.
Sectoral picture
Agriculture
Total tax burden is the main worry for Canada’s agriculture businesses (65%). Government debt and deficit, or the fear of future tax hikes, comes in second (57%). Trade challenges, while lower on the list of concerns, are still important for 37% of agri-firms.
Natural Resources
Tax burden tops the list at 82%, followed by government debt and deficit at 73% and government regulation at 63%. Trade challenges, affecting 43% of firms, underscore the sector’s exposure to global markets.
Construction
Construction firms remain heavily concerned with fiscal and workforce pressures. Tax burden is the top issue (77%), followed by labour shortages (64%) and government regulation (54%). Trade challenges (44%) continue to reflect ongoing supply chain and import pressures.
Manufacturing
Manufacturers face a mix of fiscal and operational issues. Tax burden leads (72%), with labour shortages (58%) and trade challenges are close behind (57%). The latter are at their highest level across all sectors, reflecting global market exposure.
Wholesale
Wholesale businesses report strong administrative and fiscal concerns. Tax burden (72%) remains the top issue, followed by government regulation (57%) and government debt and deficit (53%). Trade challenges (50%) highlight import‑dependent supply chains.
Retail
Retailers face a combination of cost, compliance, and public safety issues. Tax burden (72%) leads, followed by government debt and deficit (49%), regulation (48%). Trade challenges and labour shortages (each at 47%) complete the picture. Crime and safety (39%) stands out as a more prominent concern than in most other sectors.
Transportation
The transportation sector is facing significant regulatory and workforce pressures. Tax burden (76%) remains the top concern, while government regulation is very high at 72%. Labour shortages (60%) persist, and trade challenges (47%) reflect ongoing cross‑border and logistics dependencies.
Arts, Recreation & Information
Cost and compliance pressures remain central. Tax burden (72%) is the sector’s top issue, followed by government debt and deficit (48%) and regulation (47%). Trade challenges (37%) are moderate, consistent with the sector’s more domestic focus.
Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Leasing
Financial and real‑estate‑related firms face elevated fiscal and administrative pressure. Tax burden (77%) is the main issue, while government debt/deficit (59%) and regulation (58%) are close behind.
Professional Services
Professional services firms continue to struggle with compliance and workforce issues. Tax burden (71%), government regulation (58%) and debt/deficit (56%) rank highest.
Health and education
Firms in this sector report a mix of fiscal and workforce issues. Tax burden (69%) leads, but government regulation (55%) and labour shortages (50%) are also major concerns.
Enterprises & Administrative Management
This sector shows strong cost and compliance pressures. Tax burden (74%) is the main concern, followed by government regulation (58%) and labour shortages (58%). Crime and safety (37%) is more prominent here than in many other service sectors.
Hospitality
Hospitality businesses face heavy fiscal and regulatory burdens. Tax burden (72%) is the top issue, followed by labour shortages (53%) and government regulation (50%).
Personal & Miscellaneous Services
These firms continue to face strong fiscal and workforce pressures. Tax burden (77%) leads, with labour shortages (58%) and government regulation (52%) close behind. Crime and safety (36%) also ranks comparatively high for this sector.
Overview by issue
- Tax burden is the main concern everywhere, except in Quebec, and for all sectors. Tax concerns vary from 62% in New Brunswick to 87% in Newfoundland and Labrador.
- Labour shortages affect more than half of businesses in every province. Manitoba is showing the highest concern. They are most pressing for construction and transportation firms.
- Regulation and paperwork is a priority for many firms, from about 40% in Atlantic Canada to about 50% in Alberta and British Columbia. Quebec firms, however, are by far the most worried about it (72%), followed by Saskatchewan businesses at 63%. Red tape is a much bigger issue among businesses in transportation (72%).
- Local government costs weigh more heavily on businesses in Western Canada than on those in the East.
- Trade challenges are also more important for firms in the Prairies and British Columbia (40 to 50% indicate it as a top issue), compared to 20–30% in Atlantic Canada. They are especially critical for manufacturers.
Note: More data, including by business size, age, municipality, region or electoral riding, is available upon request.
Methodology
These results are based on 8,511 responses received from October 1st to December 30, 2025.
The OMO survey is conducted in person by District Managers during member renewals with participants from all sectors and provinces. Members can vote on the OMO question through an app on an iPad, and each member can respond only once per year. Each quarter, we collect 7,000–8,000 responses, resulting in a margin of error of approximately 1.1-1.2% at a 95% confidence level, ensuring reliable and representative results. For more information about the sample, see the details in the dashboard.
The Q1 2026 OMO results will be released in early May 2026.
Andreea Bourgeois, Director of Economics
Simon Gaudreault, Vice-President, Research and Chief Economist
Sanaz Dolatkhah, Data Analyst, Power BI visualizations creator
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