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Only 7% of Surveyed Canadian Small Businesses Plan Major Expansion

By Social Storytellers Collective News Desk

October 11, 2026 · 1 min read

Only 7% of surveyed Canadian small businesses plan significant growth or diversification over the next 12 months, according to CFIB’s October 7 release. The association links limited expansion plans with tax and cost pressures. It also reports that 62% favor reducing the federal small-business tax rate from 9% to 6% when asked about ways to reduce the burden. CFIB advocates for the businesses it represents, so its preferred policy response should remain distinct from the survey’s descriptive findings. The results do not prove that a tax reduction alone would produce new investment or hiring. They do identify a gap between keeping a business operating and preparing it to grow. Financing, demand, and other operating costs also warrant examination when interpreting owners’ intentions. The useful follow-up is to establish which constraint prevents a viable expansion and whether proposed relief addresses that particular barrier.