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
February 2026
The February 2026 edition of Your Voice captures the latest views of 1,379 small business owners across Canada. As owners look at the year ahead, most are prioritizing ways to strengthen their operations, form investments in marketing, automation, e-commerce, training, and AI to better manage ongoing pressures. External conditions remain a challenge: U.S. tariffs continue raise costs and strain cross-border. Consumer spending remains moderate, with holiday shoppers opting for lower cost and Canadian-made products. Against this backdrop, small business owners are calling on governments to reduce taxes and business costs, cut red tape, and create a more competitive and stable business environment.
Business plans for 2026
Looking ahead, many small businesses plan to focus on internal improvements rather than expansion. Owners are most likely to increase investments in marketing, job or process automation, e-commerce, employee training, and AI-enabled technologies. In contrast, relatively few businesses intend to expand into new markets.
The Impact of U.S.-Canada Trade War
Tariffs remain a major pressure point: 68% of small businesses report being affected—24% directly and 42% indirectly. Nearly three‑quarters say the dispute has strained relationships with U.S. partners, and more than half no longer see the U.S. as a reliable trading partner.
2025 holiday season
Consumer spending showed few signs of recovery during the 2025 holiday season. Most businesses reported flat or declining revenues, in‑store purchases, online sales, and foot traffic. Businesses observed more budget‑conscious spending, with customers gravitating toward lower‑cost purchases, as well as preferences for Canadian‑made products.
Business priorities
Owners want governments to address rising business costs, reduce the overall tax burden, improve health care access, cut red tape, and ensure fairer competition with large corporations. Reducing trade uncertainty and strengthening domestic conditions remain key to supporting small business stability and growth.
Mandate vote
Businesses also weighed in on key advocacy issues through our Mandate Vote which include short, neutral backgrounders. A clear 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.
Explore more February 2026 insights and our extensive survey collection below.
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