CFIB slams Toronto in survey
Posted September 14, 2010 1:20 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – Municipal elections are around the corner and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is calling on mayoral candidates to do more to support small businesses in Toronto.
A survey by the CFIB, the federation slams the current regime at city hall for failing to deal with the challenges faced by small business owners.
The survey found that small business owners feel ignored and overtaxed.
CFIB’s Catherine Swift said voters may be ready to kick councillors out of office.
“They’ve been disgraceful with the use of our tax dollars, businesses, and individuals, and it is time to get a fresh crop in there that seems to bother to actually have a little bit of respect for the tax payer.”
Small business owners are treated like cash cows by city hall, Swift added.
“We have a tax rate in Toronto that is about triple what a comparable residential property, like comparable value of residential property, is.”
The agency surveyed a total of 1,550 businesses in Toronto in a face-to-face survey between July 2009 and June 2010.
They were asked, “How do you rate the local government where your business is situated on the following issues?”
The response showed 86 per cent of people thought overall awareness of the small business sector was poor; 56 per cent thought fairness of by-laws and regulations was poor, and 92 per cent agreed that the control of government wage levels was also poor.
The mayoral candidates will have the opportunity to address the issues, and could be in for a rough ride, when the CFIB hosts a debate for small business owners on September 24.
