Despite the concern about the small business community expressed by representatives of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business at a city council meeting earlier this year, small business operators in Saskatchewan don’t seem to be in the depths of despair.
The latest survey by that same business organization has found that Saskatchewan’s small business owners are once again more optimistic than their counterparts in the rest of Canada — surpassing the national average by eight points.
The results are based on a series of questions about business development and future outlooks for specific operations.
Certainly business owners of any size have reason to be cautious in their optimism but when it is a small business owner, it is even more reflective of a steady business and economic climate, and Saskatchewan has indeed been steady, notwithstanding the decline in potash revenues that sent the provincial government into a tailspin.
Some of the concerns that showed up in the survey related to labour shortages, labour costs, taxation levels and red tape regulations.
Still, 14 per cent of Saskatchewan’s small business owners indicated they hope to add more full-time employees over the next few months — certainly welcome news for residents who are currently unemployed, or just entering the labour force.
When all is said and done, Saskatchewan has much to offer in the way of lifestyle and other amenities. Add that to business optimism and a recipe for commercial and individual success is being fermented.
