'Your Voice' Omnibus Survey on Small Business Issues

Every other month, CFIB members lend their opinions to 'Your Voice,' a survey exploring a variety of current topics. The latest takeaways are showcased in a series of informative charts that summarize these findings.

Your Voice Highlights

August 2026

The August 2026 Your Voice survey of 1,577 small business owners reveals a cautious outlook among SMEs. Half of business owners would not recommend starting a business today, citing high costs and economic uncertainty as the primary reasons. While most businesses rate their financial health as average or better, more than one in five describe it as weak or critical. Entrepreneurial sentiment is closely tied to financial health, with owners facing greater financial challenges being less likely to recommend starting a business.

Views on starting a business today

Half of small businesses would not recommend starting a business right now
Reluctance to recommend starting a business is widespread across provinces, reaching a high of 55% in British Columbia
Businesses in accommodation and food services (61%), transportation and utilities (56%), and construction (56%) are most likely to say they would not recommend starting a business now
High costs and economic uncertainty are the leading reasons businesses say now is not a good time to start a business, with nearly nine in ten citing each factor (88% and 86%, respectively)

Financial health and entrepreneurial sentiment

While most owners describe the overall financial health of their business as average or better, about one in five (22%) rate it as weak or critical
Views on whether to recommend starting a business become less positive as financial health declines

Mandate vote

Personal guarantees for SME financing: Most business owners show support for eliminating personal guarantees on loans under
the Canada Small Business Financing Program, reflecting concerns about personal financial risk and entrepreneurship.
Canada's de-minimis threshold: Views are divided on whether Canada should eliminate its de minimis duty exemption for low value imports, highlighting competing concerns around competitiveness, consumer costs, and affordability.

Marvin Cruz

Senior Director, Research

Simon Gaudreault

Chief Economist & Vice-President Research

Explore more August 2026 insights and our extensive survey collection below.

'Your Voice' survey collection

Report	Download
Your Voice August 2026 Topics covered: Views on starting a business today Financial health and entrepreneurial sentiment Mandate Vote (Personal guarantees for SME financing, Canada's de-minimis threshold) Business Owners' Voices	PDF (789 KB)
Your Voice June 2026 Topics covered: Preferred business tax cuts Investment trends, motivations, and challenges Perspective on CUSMA review discussions Mandate vote (WCB Surplus Returns, Tolls on critical interprovincial routes) Business Owners' Voices PBI Interactive Dashboard	PDF (729 KB)
Your Voice April 2026 Topics covered: Low business owners' confidence in government support A challenging business environment marked by rising fuel costs Small business strategies to manage rising fuel costs Tariff impacts accelerate move away from U.S. trade Mandate vote (Pricing fairness, High-speed rail, Tax compliance) PBI Interactive Dashboard	PDF (184 KB)
Your Voice February 2026 Topics covered: Business Plans for 2026 The Impact of U.S.-Canada Trade War 2025 holiday season Business priorities Mandate vote ( majority opposed giving preference to unionized organizations, owners were split on pursuing a free trade agreement with China, and a majority supported increasing the GST/HST threshold) PBI Interactive Dashboard	PDF (638 KB)
Your Voice December 2025 Topics covered: Business Performance Impact of Canada-U.S. Trade War Government Priorities Tariff Support Awareness End of the U.S. De Minimis Rule PBI Interactive Dashboard	PDF (460 KB)
Your Voice October 2025 Topics covered: Confidence in provincial government Entrepreneurship Community Safety PBI Interactive Dashboard	PDF (461 KB)
Your Voice September 2025 Topics covered: Business Conditions Digital Practices Strikes at Federally Regulated Workplaces Canada-China Trade Dispute Bill C-2: Cash Transaction Limits PBI Interactive Dashboard	PDF (488 KB)
Your Voice July 2025 Topics covered: Tax Relief and Investment Priorities Trade Environment National Interest Infrastructure Projects PBI Interactive Dashboard InsightBiz Blog: Balancing Stability and Growth: What Small Businesses Need from Tax Relief	PDF (501 KB)
Your Voice May 2025 Topics covered: Top Federal Priorities Trade Environment Summer Tourism Outlook PBI Interactive Dashboard InsightBiz Blog: Tourism season off to a wobbly start	PDF (531 KB)
Your Voice April 2025 Topics covered: Business conditions Business response to tariffs Compliance with CUSMA regulations PBI interactive dashboard PBI interactive dashboard: Internal Trade data	PDF (499 KB)
Your Voice January 2025 Topics covered: Business owners' confidence about 2025 GST/HST tax break Business owners plans for 2025 PBI interactive dashboard	PDF (5.9 MB)
Your Voice December 2024 Topics covered: Business performance over the past year compared to expectations Canada-U.S: The shadow of tariffs Pandemic-related debt Credit card fees reduction	PDF (7.8 MB)
Your Voice October 2024 Topics covered: Confidence in the provincial/territorial government Taxation Federal priorities Tariffs	PDF (6.2 MB)
Your Voice September 2024 Topics covered: Business health Sentiment on starting a business Labour market challenges	PDF (6.0 MB)
Your Voice August 2024 Topics covered: Business challenges Capital investment	PDF (1.6 MB)
Your Voice June 2024 Topics covered: Tax burden and implication of tax reduction Property taxes and other municipal issues InsightBiz Blog: Empowering small businesses: The critical role of reducing taxes and costs	PDF (16.8 MB)
Your Voice April 2024 Topics covered: Small business financial health CEBA Carbon tax InsightBiz Blog: Small Business Financial Health Amid CEBA Loan Repayment & Carbon Tax Hikes	PDF (370 KB)
Your Voice February 2024 Topics covered: Business challenges Business perspectives on potential federal government tax initiatives InsightBiz Blog: Takeaways from our February 2024 omnibus survey: Current top challenge at Canadian firms and their preferred tax measures	PDF (14.6 MB)
Your Voice December 2023 Topics covered: Your business perspectives for 2024 Your business conditions	PDF (379 KB)
Your Voice November 2023 Topics covered: Confidence in provincial/territorial governments Taxation Government subsidies to big business	PDF (623 KB)
Your Voice September 2023 Topics covered: Business Outlook CEBA loan Rising interest rates	PDF (377 KB)
Your Voice July 2023 Topics covered: Business priorities Business pandemic loss British Columbia port workers strike	PDF (523 KB)
Your Voice May 2023 Topics covered: Your Business Concerns Community Safety Post-pandemic reflection Your business conditions	PDF (5.55 MB)
Your Voice April 2023 Topics covered: 2023 Federal Budget Taxation Credential Recognition	PDF (4.82 MB)
Your Voice February 2023 Topics covered: Business Outlook Business conditions Business permits and licenses	PDF (666 KB)
Your Voice January 2023 Topics covered: Business plans and priorities heading into 2023 Credit Cards Energy Costs	PDF (688 KB)
Your Voice November 2022 Topics covered: Fall Economic Statement Business recovery Red Tape Workplace conduct and culture	PDF (880 KB)
Your Voice October 2022 Topics covered: Small business priorities for their provincial government Views on provincial government Provincial tax - preferred and most harmful measures	PDF (449 KB)
Your Voice September 2022 Topics covered: Business priorities Labour shortages Business recovery/State of small business in Canada	PDF (877 KB)
Your Voice June 2022 Topics covered: Cost pressures Prices and interest rates State of small business in Canada Federal travel restrictions Business succession	PDF (925 KB)
Your Voice April 2022 Topics covered: State of small business Recovery of Downtown Cores Business Challenges 2022 Federal Budget	PDF (1.2 MB)
Your Voice February 2022 Topics covered: Business Barometer® Business Owner’s Frame of Mind for 2022 Pandemic Impact on Businesses Supply Chain Challenges Business Recovery COVID-19 Compliance Costs and Attitudes on Business Restrictions	PDF (2 MB)
Your Voice January 2022 Topics covered: Business recovery is uneven, with many firms still below normal operations Rising costs, supply chain issues, and labour shortages remain major challenges COVID‑19 continues to affect staffing, operations, and financial stability	PDF (831 KB)
Your Voice November 2021 Topics covered: Business Recovery Ongoing labour shortages and hiring challenges Federal supports and financial strain	PDF (783 KB)
Your Voice October 2021 Topics covered: Business recovery still incomplete Most firms remain below normal revenues Top concerns: Rising costs, supply chain issues, and labour shortages	PDF (427 KB)
Your Voice September 2021 Topics covered: Business Recovery Labour shortages and supply chain issues	PDF (632 KB)
Your Voice August 2021 Topics covered: Business Recovery Low Business Revenues Staffing Shortages Operational & confidence pressures	PDF (485 KB)
Your Voice July 2021 Topics covered: Slow recovery Low revenues Staffing challenges Weak Optimism	PDF (760 KB)
Your Voice July 2021 (Infographic) Topics covered: The Long Road to Recovery for Small Business	PDF (4.8 MB)
Your Voice June 2021 Topics covered: Partial reopening Revenues below normal Staffing constraints Economic uncertainty	PDF (476 KB)
Your Voice April 2021 (Infographic) Topics covered: Small Business Owners' State of Mind During Covid-19	PDF (849 KB)
Your Voice March 2021 Topics covered: Limited reopening Revenue shortfalls Staffing pressures Rising debt burdens	PDF (1.9 MB)
Your Voice February 2021 Topics covered: Financial strain across many businesses Limited operations due to ongoing restrictions Weakened sales impacting overall recovery Rising liabilities creating long‑term pressure	PDF (1.4 MB)
Your Voice January 2021 Topics covered: Limited operations under ongoing restrictions Persistently low revenues across many sectors Continued staffing strain and capacity challenges Ongoing uncertainty affecting business outlook	PDF (2.1 MB)
Your Voice December 2025 Topics covered: Business Performance Impact of Canada-U.S. Trade War Government Priorities Tariff Support Awareness End of the U.S. De Minimis Rule PBI Interactive Dashboard	PDF (460 KB)
Regulatory Costs in Canada and the Unites States: A Small Business Perspective	PDF (859 KB)
Your Voice April 2026	PDF (1,234 KB)

August 11, 2025

'Your Voice' Omnibus Survey on Small Business Issues

Your Voice Highlights

August 2026

'Your Voice' survey collection

Stay Informed

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