Make Your Voice Heard
CFIB: Amplifying the voices of small business since 1971.
Make Your Voice Heard
Over ---- important causes championed in support of small business success.
Millions of small businesses have been positively impacted by our advocacy work.
More than ---- signatures received in support of fair treatment for small businesses.
Our Advocacy Efforts
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has been Canada's champion of small business for over 50 years.
Today, with more than 100,000 members located in communities across the country, we are Canada’s largest non-profit organization devoted to creating and supporting an environment where small businesses can thrive.
We advocate for small business with politicians and decision-makers at all three levels of government (municipal, provincial, and federal). As a non-partisan organization, we influence public policy based on our members’ views, ensuring that you have a chance to affect the laws and policies that affect your business.
![CFIB President Dan Kelly, Executive VP of Advocacy Corinne Pohlmann, and two colleagues hand delivering 50,000 signed petitions to parliament.](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hubfs/DanPetitions.png)
Our Wins
![CFIB President Dan Kelly and Canada's Minister of Finance announcing a joint initiative to reduce credit card fees for small businesses in Canada.](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hubfs/credit-card/images/2023-06-lower-credit-card-fees-img.png)
2023
Credit Card Processing Fees
After 15 years of CFIB advocacy, the federal government, joined by CFIB, announced an agreement between Visa, Mastercard, and the federal government for lower credit card fees for small business.
![](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hubfs/advocacy/image/intergen-transfer-cover.png)
2021
Intergenerational Transfers
On June 29, Bill C-208 amended the Income Tax Act (ITA) to allow families to transfer shares of their small business, family farm, and/or fishing corporation to their children or grandchildren and be treated equally to those who were passing on their businesses to an unrelated corporation.
These new rules allow the “selling party” to pass on their company shares and absorb capital gains by using the Lifetime Capital Gains Exemption (LCGE).
![](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hubfs/advocacy/image/pandemic-supports-thumb-en.png)
2020
Pandemic Supports
During the COVID-19 Pandemic, CFIB's lobbying efforts were integral in the establishment of federal economic relief measures for small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) such as the Canada Emergency Wage Subsidy (CEWS), the Canada Emergency Business Account (CEBA) eligibility for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs), and the Canada Emergency Rent Subsidy (CERS).
![A CFIB executive presenting the Golden Scissors Award to Canada's trade ministers, for the signing of the Canada Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) in 2017.](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hubfs/advocacy/image/internal-trade-thumb.png)
2017
Internal Trade
The Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) was signed on July 1st, by all provinces, territories and the federal government. Replacing the dated and ineffective Agreement on Internal Trade, the purpose of this new agreement is to reduce and eliminate barriers to the free movement of people, goods, services and investments within the country.
CFIB is holding governments to account to ensure progress continues.
Join over 100, 000 small business owners across the country.
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is in every province and territory, from coast to coast. We advocate on behalf of independent Canadian business owners and fight for fairer taxes, laws and regulations to help promote their success. We believe that a stronger small business sector means a stronger Canada.
Our Current Initiatives
![Two small business owners checking their costs, bills and receipts](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-01-cost-business-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=460&name=2024-01-cost-business-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
National Cost of Doing Business Petition
Calling on the federal government to lower the cost of doing business in Canada
![Small business owner checking his bills using a calculator](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2023/2023-11-national-carbon-tax-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=700&height=400&name=2023-11-national-carbon-tax-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
National Carbon Tax Petition
Calling on the federal government to make the carbon tax system fairer for small businesses
![Small business owner looking at her laptop](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-06-ab-construction-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=500&name=2024-06-ab-construction-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
Alberta Construction Petition
Calling on the provincial government to introduce construction mitigation policies
![Two small business owners looking at their laptop](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-01-ab-municipalities-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=460&name=2024-01-ab-municipalities-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
Alberta Municipal Tax Relief Petition
Calling on all Alberta municipalities to reduce property taxes for businesses
![Small business owner looking at her laptop](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-09-ab-tax-petition-advocacy-img-en-2.webp?width=800&height=500&name=2024-09-ab-tax-petition-advocacy-img-en-2.webp)
Alberta Tax Relief Petition
Calling on the Alberta government to offset the increased costs of doing business
![Small business owner looking at her laptop](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-07-bc-carbon-tax-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=500&name=2024-07-bc-carbon-tax-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
British Columbia Carbon Tax Petition
Calling on the BC government to make the carbon tax fair for small businesses
![Small business owner checking her costs on her desktop](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-01-bc-cost-relief-petition-advocacy-img-en-2.webp?width=800&height=460&name=2024-01-bc-cost-relief-petition-advocacy-img-en-2.webp)
British Columbia Cost Relief Petition
Calling on the provincial government to introduce cost relief measures for small businesses
![Small business owner looking at a product with one of her customers in her store](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2023/2023-12-mb-affordability-petition-advocacy-img-en.png?width=800&height=460&name=2023-12-mb-affordability-petition-advocacy-img-en.png)
Manitoba Affordability Petition
Calling on the provincial government to make Manitoba more affordable for small businesses
![Two small business owners calculating their costs with a calculator](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-12-nb-property-tax-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=500&name=2024-12-nb-property-tax-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
New Brunswick Property Tax Petition
Calling on the provincial government to make the property tax fairer
![Small business owner talking with one of her customers in her store](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2023/nl-rst-petition-hubpage-img-en.jpg?width=500&height=470&name=nl-rst-petition-hubpage-img-en.jpg)
Newfoundland & Labrador Insurance Premium RST Petition
Calling on government to eliminate the 15% Retail Sales Tax (RST) on all insurance premiums that impact businesses
![Small business owner working in her office](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-06-ns-wcb-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=500&name=2024-06-ns-wcb-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
![Small business owner in her shop](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-03-on-construction-petition-advocacy-img-en.png?width=800&height=500&name=2024-03-on-construction-petition-advocacy-img-en.png)
Ontario Construction Petition
Calling on the provincial government to introduce construction mitigation policies
![Small business owner worried about his costs](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2022/2023-12-on-sick-days-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=460&name=2023-12-on-sick-days-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
Ontario Employer-Paid Sick Days Petition
Calling on the provincial government to say no to the introduction of paid sick days
![Small business owner looking at her laptop](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-09-on-wsib-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=500&name=2024-09-on-wsib-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
Ontario WSIB Petition
Calling on the Ontario government to rebate WSIB surplus funds to employers
![Stressed small business owner in his shop](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-06-pei-confederation-bridge-tolls-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=500&name=2024-06-pei-confederation-bridge-tolls-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
Prince Edward Island Confederation Bridge Tolls Petition
Calling on government to eliminate the tolls on the Confederation Bridge
![Small business owner writing his costs on a notepad](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-01-qc-cost-business-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=460&name=2024-01-qc-cost-business-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
Quebec Cost of Doing Business Petition
Calling on the federal government to lower the cost of doing business in Canada
![Image of a worried small business owner reading her electricity bill beside an electricity counter](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-08-qc-electricity-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=500&name=2024-08-qc-electricity-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
Quebec Electricity Rates Petition
Calling on the Quebec government to lower electricity rates for small businesses
![Small business owner cutting a red tape with scissors](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2024/2024-11-qc-red-tape-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp?width=800&height=500&name=2024-11-qc-red-tape-petition-advocacy-img-en.webp)
Quebec Red Tape Petition
Calling on the provincial government to reduce the administrative burden on small businesses
![Two customers checking a wine bottle at a small business store](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2023/sk-affordability-petition-hubpage-img-en.jpg?width=500&height=470&name=sk-affordability-petition-hubpage-img-en.jpg)
Saskatchewan Affordability Petition
Calling on the provincial government to make Saskatchewan more affordable for small businesses
![An empty store impacted by the labour shortage](https://www.cfib-fcei.ca/hs-fs/hubfs/petitions/images/2023/2023-08-sk-labour-shortage-petition-hubpage-img-en.webp?width=700&height=780&name=2023-08-sk-labour-shortage-petition-hubpage-img-en.webp)
Saskatchewan Labour Shortage Petition
Calling on the provincial government to implement measures to help tackle the labour shortage