Latest news with #CanadianFederationofIndependentBusiness
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
N.B. premier optimistic about inter-provincial free trade following first ministers' meeting
New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt is hoping to see plenty of movement toward free trade over the next month, but one business group says the province could be doing more. Following meetings with Prime Minister Mark Carney and other premiers in Saskatoon, Holt said she's optimistic that common ground can be found to allow greater mobility of goods and skilled labour across the country. "New Brunswick's been sort of at the table pushing the group at the federal, provincial and territorial table to move aggressively on this," she told reporters Monday night. Carney has promised federal legislation targeting barriers under Ottawa's jurisdiction by Canada Day, which could target anything from energy efficiency standards to environmental and regulatory assessments on major projects. But he praised provinces for how they've been working to reduce barriers to trade. "I can't keep up with the flurry of announcements of free trade agreements between provinces across the country," he said. WATCH | What has New Brunswick actually done for inter-provincial trade? "The federal government will do its part tabling legislation very shortly to eliminate federal barriers to inter-provincial movement of goods and people and also to put in place an ability to advance projects of national interest." So far, New Brunswick has dropped a number of procurement exemptions for provincial agencies and has signed memorandums of understanding (MOU) with Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador to explore greater labour mobility. The province has also passed legislation allowing for greater sales of out-of-province alcohol, but that will require agreement from other provinces to take effect. Another piece of legislation will smooth out licensing requirements for regulated workers who are certified in other provinces, allowing them to work while applying for certification with the corresponding New Brunswick body. However, the Atlantic vice-president with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business said the province could go further, by recognizing certification in other provinces. "Essentially the province is allowing people to come in to work, but it's in view of getting their certification," said Louis-Philippe Gauthier. "Our contention would be that if somebody is certified by a professional association in one province, they should be allowed to practise in another. That's just a simple reality." Provinces like Nova Scotia and Ontario are at various stages of passing legislation to do just that. A number of MOUs have been signed between individual provinces, as they look to drop restrictions over certain goods and services. Holt has even proposed an Atlantic free trade zone, with no trade restrictions among neighbouring provinces. While Gauthier said the momentum is positive, he warns that a new patchwork of differing agreements may not be much better than the free trade agreement the provinces have now. "Allowing the government to still impose restrictions just creates a Canadian trade agreement 2.0, where we're just going to see 169 different MOUs signed between each and every province and territory and that's not necessarily desirable," he said. "Right now we have momentum, there's a desire, there's political support for moving forward and hopefully all the provinces will find a way without maintaining or adding restrictions."
Global News
6 days ago
- Business
- Global News
WorkSafeBC should issue refunds due to $2 billion surplus, CFIB says
A B.C. business group is calling for WorkSafeBC's huge surplus to be refunded to the businesses who have paid into it. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business says WorkSafeBC is sitting on a surplus of $2 billion, which is actually above its funding target. The federation wants WorkSafeBC to follow the lead of ICBC and BC Hydro and return some of that surplus to ratepayers. 'We know that other provinces, such as Ontario, Manitoba, have been able to keep rates stable and return funds back to the employers that paid into it,' Kailth Nanayakkara with the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses told Global News. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'Manitoba just announced $122 million in rebates. Ontario's announced a combined $4 billion while keeping rates stable and lower than B.C.'s' 2:07 New WorkSafe tips, gratuities rules criticized by hospitality industry However, WorkSafeBC says the surplus allows it to keep rates low and stable. Story continues below advertisement 'The WorkSafe board has worked very, very hard to maintain predictability and stability in the WorkSafe premiums over the last number of years,' Jennifer Whiteside, minister of labour for B.C. said. 'And in fact, those premiums haven't changed since 2018 and they are lower now than they were in 2014.' In 2017, the B.C. Liberal government said it was planning to return those surplus funds to employers but that did not go through as the BC NDP won the provincial election.
Toronto Star
7 days ago
- Business
- Toronto Star
‘How long is this going to last?' Small business owners grapple with raising prices amid Trump tariffs
The past couple of months have been filled with uncertainty for Toronto bar owner Cesar Mesen. Ever since U.S. President Donald Trump launched his tariff attack on Canada — and the world — Mesen says the cost of running The Pint Public House has soared. Food prices are up, along with everything from the price of napkins and takeout containers to aluminum beer cans — all hurting Mesen's bottom line. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW While he's been able to talk with suppliers about finding Canadian- or non-U.S.-sourced goods to minimize costs, Mesen warns the bar may eventually need to raise prices customers see on the menu if tariffs don't go away soon. 'Right now what worries us the most,' Mesen says, 'is how long is this going to last and what is going to be the end result.' Mesen is not the only Canadian small business owner grappling with Trump's tariffs, even as the president's daily trade proclamations against friend and foe have slowed in recent weeks. According to data from an April survey of 130 small businesses across Canada conducted by digital financing company Merchant Growth, nearly 40 per cent of businesses in Canada have raised prices due to tariffs. On the bright side, eight in ten of these businesses report passing on only a quarter or less of the added expenses to customers. Merchant Growth's data is in line with the findings of other small business groups. ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Canadian Federation of Independent Business surveys of 1,065 and 417 small businesses from March and April found that owners expected to hike customer prices by an average of 3.7 and 3.5 per cent respectively. 'We looked at all industries, from steel manufacturing to transportation and even to discretionary goods and retail,' Joe Conte, chief growth officer at Merchant Growth, said. 'They were seeing a lot of direct impacts.' Thes impacts include the cost of manufacturing goods, particularly those containing aluminum or steel — materials that were slapped with a 25 per cent tariff by Trump back in March. Businesses have also had to deal with the indirect impact of slower supply chains, according to Conte. Together, these impacts present small businesses with the difficult task of bringing in revenue while not turning off customers with jacked prices. 'There is a bit of delicate balance for small businesses,' says Conte, 'trying to protect their existing customer base while still staying profitable.' ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW ARTICLE CONTINUES BELOW Besides raising consumer prices, Conte said business owners have tried to mitigate the impact of the tariffs by looking for alternative suppliers — and even new export markets. While Conte acknowledged there has not been recent tariff announcements targeting Canada, he says there is still a lot of uncertainty. 'I'd love to be able to say that we have plateaued,' he says, 'but what we do know is that we have no line of sight as to the level of uncertainty around the tariffs.' Even amid the uncertainty, Mesen said customers at his bar should expect to see the same prices on the menu for the 'foreseeable future,' but that things may change depending on any tariff announcements or if the Canadian economy worsens. 'Passing the cost on to the guests has to be the last choice.'
Cision Canada
27-05-2025
- Business
- Cision Canada
Streamlining licensing and workers compensation registration key to unlocking Canadian labour mobility Français
TORONTO, May 27, 2025 /CNW/ - As the Committee on Internal Trade's June 1 deadline for delivering an action plan to boost labour mobility approaches, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)'s new snapshot highlights inconsistent regulations and standards restricting labour mobility across the country. "There has been lots of positive talk at all levels of government around breaking down labour mobility barriers in Canada, but we haven't seen all the action needed to support it yet," said SeoRhin Yoo, CFIB's senior policy analyst. "The June 1 deadline to deliver an action plan on labour mobility, as well as the First Ministers' Meeting on June 2 are opportunities for Premiers and the Prime Minister to show Canadian small business owners that they're serious about eliminating internal trade barriers." Of small businesses who have hired workers from, or have employees working in, other jurisdictions, nearly half (49%) have experienced challenges. For those businesses, top challenges include lack of recognition of certifications between jurisdictions, acquiring provincial licensing, adjusting Occupational Health and Safety rules to fit requirements of another jurisdiction, and registering business and employees in workers' compensation outside of their home province/territory. CFIB is urging governments to minimize exceptions, streamline certification processes, mutually recognize equivalent qualifications, and make it easier and quicker for employees to start working in another jurisdiction. "We're hearing from businesses that navigating WCB systems is time-consuming and that differing provincial regulations make it hard to operate and expand across Canada," said Bradlee Whidden, CFIB's senior policy analyst. "We need policies that would open doors for workers and allow businesses to better recruit and retain employees. Workers would be able to move to areas where their skills are in higher demand, while businesses would be able to fill vacancies more quickly, boosting Canada's economy and productivity while addressing unemployment. That can be done without compromising public safety, but we need political will and governments working together." Some examples of labour mobility barriers include: A nurse registered to practice in Ontario must still register with Quebec's college in order to start work in Quebec. A Red Seal-certified stylist from Newfoundland and Labrador cannot legally use the titles "hairstylist" or "hairdresser" in New Brunswick unless they have a separate, mandatory licence from the Cosmetology Association of New Brunswick. They must also fill out an out-of-province application with supporting documents and pay $340, and the whole process could take up to 30 days. Podiatrists from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario, and Northwest Territories must complete additional training before they can register and fully practice in Alberta. About CFIB The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada's largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners' chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at
Calgary Herald
24-05-2025
- Business
- Calgary Herald
Carney's plan for digital government could find savings, but just as many headaches
Article content Mike Leahy, a director general in the department's commercial and trade branch, said the new system is more efficient because, among other things, it allows import taxes to be calculated electronically and immediately, creates an ongoing file for more than 157,000 Canadian businesses, and can more easily be amended to deal with errors or policy changes. Article content Article content CARM replaced a 35-year-old, mostly paper-based system just in time to deal with Donald Trump's erratic trade policies. 'The clock was ticking,' said Leahy of the old system. Article content Corinne Pohlmann, executive vice-president for advocacy for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), says governments should take advantage of AI and other digital tools to do things better but should also try to do more with less. Article content Article content Pohlmann said the new online import system may not be a step forward for small business owners. The new online system requires importers to put up bonds or use their credit cards if they want immediate release of their goods, unlike the old system, while the forms are now longer and more onerous, she added. Article content Many small businesses, such as restaurants, manufacturers or flower farms, don't have more time or money for paperwork, whether it's electronic or not. 'Just because something is digitized doesn't mean that it's less onerous,' Pohlmann said. Article content So where to from here? Article content For Solomon, the new AI minister, and Mélanie Joly, the new industry minister, and others involved in setting up Canada's plan for AI, e-government and other digital change, the destination may appear clearer than the path forward. Article content And with change comes challenges. Governments will also need to deal with a host of tricky matters, such as security and privacy concerns, online hate and apps and other services affiliated with state-owned enterprises based in China and elsewhere. Article content Article content The potential benefits of more e-government and AI services are tempting, but it's unclear how tolerant Canadians will be if the negatives from digital change start to pile up. The main negative will likely include job losses as some coders, factory workers, call centre workers and others could be replaced. Article content In the case of Sikma and many small business owners, the gains will need to clearly outweigh the costs. Article content 'It's just kind of a headache,' the frustrated Ontario flower farmer said of CBSA's new importing system. 'It's just another thing.'
