CANADIAN FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT

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Small Businesses Important Player in the
Self-Sufficiency Agenda
Andreea Bourgeois, Director Provincial Affairs,
New Brunswick
15 March 2007
CANADIAN FEDERATION OF INDEPENDENT
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• CFIB
• has 4500 members in New Brunswick
• represents SMEs in every major industrial sector
• is independent, entirely funded by members
• gauges the pulse of SMEs through hundreds of
  weekly visits and regular scientific surveys
• takes positions on the basis of one-member,
  one-vote

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SMEs - Main Engine of Economic Growth

• 98 of NB firms employ fewer than 50 employees,
  2 of NB businesses have 50 - 499 employees
• SMEs produce half of NB GDP
• SMEs employ half of NB workforce
• NB small businesses drive half of provincial
  exports

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SMEs Expectations for 2007

• Performance About 44 of New Brunswick SMEs
  expect their firm to perform stronger in 2006
  than in 2005 another 42 expect to perform about
  the same
• Full-time employment Almost 24 of small firms
  plan on hiring more full-time workers, and 68
  plan on maintaining the same workforce
• Part-time employment 14 plan on increasing the
  number of part-time employees, and over 80 will
  keep their personnel

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New-Brunswick SMEs Expectations for 2007
Source CFIB, QBB data, December 2006, NB data
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Anticipated 12-month Employment Plans
Source CFIB, QBB data, December 2006, NB data
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Top Concerns for NB SMEs
Source CFIB, Our Members Opinions 59,
July-December 2006, NB data, 596 responses
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SMEs Are Hurt by a Variety of Taxes
responses
CFIB survey data, Focus on New Brunswick, October
2005, 354 responses Question Which of the
following taxes and charges are the most harmful
to the operation of your business?
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NB SMEs Would Reinvest Tax Savings
responses
CFIB survey data, Focus on New Brunswick
(June-September 2004), 368 responses Question
What would you do with the savings if these taxes
and charges were reduced? (Select as many as
apply)
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Harder to Hire in the Next Five Years
Source CFIB, Point of View on Labour Shortages
and Immigration, July 2006, NB data, 461 responses
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Attempts to solve hiring difficulties

• 79 of NB firms had difficulties hiring

Source CFIB, Point of View on Labour Shortages
and Immigration, July 2006, NB data, 461 responses
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Occupational Shortages by NOC Skill Level, New
Brunswick Data
Source CFIB, Point of View on Labour Shortages
and Immigration, July 2006, NB data, 461 responses
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Types of Immigrants Hired by New Brunswick SMEs
Source CFIB, Point of View on Labour Shortages
and Immigration, July 2006, NB and Canada data
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• Conclusion
• Small and medium-sized business backbone of NB
  economy
• Exports, innovation and economic growth
  strategies must include small business
• SME owners are aware of the impact of
  demographics, and are ready to step up to hire
  from less traditional groups
• Any business development strategies that would
  not include SMEs will harm the New Brunswick
  economy in the long-term