WINNIPEG — Manitoba small businesses are finding it hard to look on the bright side.
A recent survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, found optimism among small businesses in this province is at the lowest level in five years and well below the national average.
“That’s not good news for Manitoba and it’s certainly not good news for the economy,” said Richard Truscott, the VP of CFIB.
Joe Krolik, the owner of Comics America, said it is tough to do business in Manitoba.
“I will use the word ‘depressed’ about the economic situation in the province,” he said.
He says his sales never really rebounded after the PST was raised in 2013.
“They need to come up with something extremely impactful at this point in time,” said Krolik, who would like to see the provincial sales tax dropped to five per cent, which would be on par with Saskatchewan.
The recent struggle for the NDP leadership also didn’t do the business community any favours.
“What it did was it gave businesses a bit of a pause,” said Chuck Davidson with the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce. “Government seemed to be in a pause for almost a six month time frame and you had the sense things weren’t getting done.”
Comments