Business Optimism Climbing
Prince George, B.C.- Businesses in B.C. are now the second most confident in the country.
That’s the word from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business as it releases its monthly Business Barometer. The survey results show BC’s small business optimism was up 2.2 points in April to 67.1.
The gain in April helped BC continue its climb up the provincial rankings. second only to Ontario which sits at 68.7.
Measured on a scale between 0 and 100, an index level above 50 means owners expecting their business’ performance to be stronger in the next year outnumber those expecting weaker performance. An index level of between 65 and 75 means the economy is growing at its potential.
“After some BC entrepreneurs started the year off with a more pessimistic outlook, it is encouraging to see more entrepreneurs now expecting their business to strengthen,” said Aaron Aerts, BC economist. “The same can be said for most provinces across the country. Minus a few outliers, the overall national index has strengthened and now sits at a fairly healthy level.”
The report says 23 per cent of small business owners plan to increase full-time staff in the next three months, up four points from March. In contrast, only six per cent are looking to cut back, the same as in March.
Forty-nine per cent of entrepreneurs in April believe the general state of health of their business is good, the same as in March. That compares to just seven per cent of BC business owners who describe their business’ health as poor, down a point from last month.
Comments
I have to laugh that the business sector would come out with this information with less than 2 weeks to go before the election…how are the businesses in doing that spent a fortune preparing for the massive make believe LNG fortunes…
It’s literally a monthly survey. Released by the CFIB, which is not a governmental agency.
Have to agree.
Agree was for prov2.
Most business owners are too astute to be taken in by premier Pixie Dust . That pixie dust was intended for naive voters . Investors don’t put their money down till the shovels are in the ground . That’s what separates investors from speculators . There are only two rules in business # 1 don’t lose the money . # 2 alway follow rule number one . Warren Buffet .
If the NDP get in and bring in Fair Wage or minimum wage, that will put an end to this small businesses hiring thing.
But it might help put an end to poverty and not have to depend on food banks.
Or it might not. Past increases in the minimum wage seem to have done the opposite to what was intended. We now have MORE people in poverty and using Food Banks than we did before. But no one wants to believe that, in spite of all the evidence, so go ahead and raise it up to whatever level you think is going to be a ‘living wage’ and see what happens. Maybe what you’re hoping for will happen, and all will go just as intended. But what if it doesn’t? What do you do then? Just repeat what’s already failed over and over again? And the poor will always be with us.
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