Property tax, red tape, affordability, and crime top the
list of issues small businesses hope to see addressed
HALIFAX/FALL RIVER: As municipal elections across Nova Scotia heat up, small businesses are putting forward their priorities to candidates for councillor and mayor across the province.
“All orders of government, especially municipal, have a role to play in ensuring our province is a place that supports and promotes the entrepreneurial spirit of our communities,” said Duncan Robertson, Senior Policy Analyst at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
“Small businesses want to see their priorities met and included in candidates’ visions for the future.”
Over the summer, CFIB surveyed their 4,000 members across Nova Scotia to gather their priorities and policies that they believe should be included in municipal candidates plans to improve the business environment of their municipalities.
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Nova Scotia’s small businesses put forward the following policies to improve the environment for small businesses:
- Establish a construction mitigation fund to support small businesses most impacted by public construction projects.
- Reform property taxation to reduce the difference between residential and commercial properties and provide better value for money.
- Eliminate fees for installing sidewalk patios
- Establish a red tape feedback portal to identify and address municipal red tape.
- Implement a crime rebate program for prevention and repairs.
“With three in four small businesses across our province saying current municipal policies are impeding their ability to grow, these municipal elections provide an opportunity to reset and put the necessary focus on making our municipalities a better place to do business,” Robertson added.
