Our Members’ Opinions Field Survey on Top Policy Concerns

Our Members’ Opinions survey has been a key part of CFIB’s grassroots research since 1975. It tracks the top policy concerns of small and medium-sized business owners across Canada.

District Managers collect responses during an in-person interview at annual member renewals, averaging 7,500 responses per quarter. Results are compiled daily and reported quarterly. The survey asks one simple ‘select all that apply’ question: “Which of the following issues are the most important to your business?”.

While the question has changed little over time, new options like ‘crime and safety’ and ‘trade challenges’ reflect current concerns for small businesses.

This ongoing feedback gives CFIB real-time insight into the challenges entrepreneurs face — from taxes and labour shortages to local costs and red tape. It keeps our advocacy focused on what matters most to small business owners and helps 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 growing 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 Week^TM . 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.

Q3 2025 - Key Takeaways

National Overview

• Total tax burden remains the top concern for small and medium-sized businesses, cited by 72% of respondents.
• The shortage of qualified labour ranks second gathering 56% of responses, while government regulation and paperwork comes in third (54%).
• Trade challenges, a new addition to the list of topics, are also significant, affecting 39% of SMEs.

Provincial picture

Newfoundland and Labrador
The total tax burden is the dominant concern at 82%, followed by government regulation and paperwork at 47% and labour shortages at 51%. Government debt is also notable at 38%, indicating fiscal concerns alongside regulatory challenges.

Prince Edward Island
PEI firms cite tax burden as the top issue at 67%, with labour shortages at 64%—the highest in Atlantic Canada. Government regulation (45%) and government debt (49%) are also significant concerns.

Nova Scotia
In NS, tax burden leads at 65%, followed by labour shortages at 58%. Government regulation (43%) and government debt (32%) round out the top issues, showing a mix of fiscal and workforce challenges.

New Brunswick 
NB businesses rank tax burden first at 62%, with labour shortages close behind at 58%. Government regulation is third at 41%, and government debt at 47% stands out as a higher concern compared to other Atlantic provinces.

Quebec
Quebec stands out with government regulation and paperwork as the top issue at 73%, surpassing tax burden at 67%. Labour shortages follow at 58%, and government debt (22%) is relatively low compared to other provinces.

Ontario
Ontario businesses prioritize tax burden (74%), labour shortages (58%), and government regulation (53%). Trade challenges and government debt are less pressing, suggesting a focus on cost and compliance.

Manitoba
In Manitoba, tax burden leads at 75%, followed by labour shortages at 64%. Government regulation (47%) and government debt (42%) are also key concerns, reflecting a balanced mix of fiscal and workforce issues.

Saskatchewan
SK firms rank tax burden highest at 77%, with labour shortages at 64%. Government regulation (47%) and government debt (42%) mirror Manitoba’s pattern, highlighting similar Prairie priorities.

Alberta
Alberta shows the strongest concern for tax burden at 84%, the highest nationally. Labour shortages (63%) and government regulation (51%) follow, while government debt (59%) is unusually high compared to other provinces.

British Columbia
BC businesses cite tax burden at 78%, labour shortages at 61%, and government regulation at 50%. Trade challenges (44%) are more prominent here than in most provinces, reflecting BC’s trade-dependent economy.

Sectoral picture

Agriculture
Total tax burden is by far the main worry for Canada’s agriculture businesses. Government debt and deficit, or the fear of future tax hikes, comes in second (50%), while trade challenges rose very fast to be a top concern for 49% of agri-firms.

Natural Resources
Tax burden tops the list at 82%, followed by labour shortages at 66% and government regulation at 63%. Trade challenges, affecting 45% of firms, underscore the sector’s exposure to global markets. 

Construction
Tax burden leads at 71%, followed by labour shortages at 66% and government regulation at 57%. Trade challenges, at 39%, point to ongoing supply chain pressures.

Manufacturing
Tax burden leads at 71%, followed by labour shortages at 55% and government regulation at 57%. Trade challenges, at 50%, highlight combined pressures from costs, workforce, and global markets.

Wholesale
The sector’s top concern is the tax burden at 70%, followed by labour shortages at 57% and government regulation at 60%. Trade challenges, at 48%, highlight logistics and import dependencies.

Retail
Similar to most other sectors, tax burden is retailers’ main concern (71%), followed by labour shortages 49%, and government regulation 43%. Crime and safety issues stand out at 38%, making retail unique for security concerns.

Transportation
The sector’s top concern is the tax burden at 71%, followed by labour shortages at 61% and government regulation at 62%. Trade challenges, at 46%, reflect cross-border and supply chain dependencies.

Arts, Recreation & Information
Tax burden preoccupies 74% of businesses in the arts industries, followed by government regulation at 51% and labour shortages at 46%. Trade challenges are modest at 32%, suggesting limited exposure to international markets. 

Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Leasing
Taxes and regulations are the industry’s main concerns (at 68%, and 64% respectively). Local government costs (42%) are also notable, pointing to compliance and municipal expense concerns.

Professional Services
Same as most services sectors, taxes and regulations are the top two concerns (72%, and 68% respectively). Trade challenges are relatively low at 28%, indicating a domestic service focus.  

Health and Education 
Taxes, regulations and labour shortages mark health and education oriented businesses ( 72%, 53% and 50%, respectively). Government debt at 48% is also significant, reflecting fiscal concerns in this sector.

Enterprises & Administrative Management
The sector shows a strong focus on cost and compliance, with tax burden leading at 72%, followed by labour shortages at 58% and government regulation at 52%, indicating persistent fiscal and workforce pressures.

Hospitality
This sector faces persistent fiscal and workforce pressures, with tax burden at 71%, labour shortages at 54%, and government regulation at 50%. Trade challenges remain low at 31%, likely due to a strong domestic tourism season. 

Personal & Miscellaneous Services
Businesses in this sector face significant fiscal and operational pressures, with tax burden at 71%, labour shortages at 63%, and government regulation at 54%. Trade challenges, at 38%, round out the top concerns, reflecting reliance on imported goods and services.

Overview by issue

• Tax burden is the main concern everywhere, except in Quebec, and for all sectors. Tax concerns vary from from 62% in New Brunswick to 84% in Alberta.
• Labour shortages affect more than half of businesses in every province. Prince Edward Island, Manitoba, and Saskatchewan are showing the highest concern. They are most pressing for construction, transportation, and personal services 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 (73%) – and it is the province’s top concern. Red tape is a bigger issue among businesses in finance/real estate/leasing, transportation, and wholesale trade.
• 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 only 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

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 Q4 2025 OMO results will be released in January 2025.

Andreea Bourgeois, Director of Economics

Simon Gaudreault, Vice-President, Research and Chief Economist