{"id":17612,"date":"2022-01-18T15:45:36","date_gmt":"2022-01-18T15:45:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2022\/01\/18\/small-business-confidence-plunges-to-lowest-since-pandemic-began-amid-omicron-chill\/"},"modified":"2022-01-18T15:45:36","modified_gmt":"2022-01-18T15:45:36","slug":"small-business-confidence-plunges-to-lowest-since-pandemic-began-amid-omicron-chill","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/2022\/01\/18\/small-business-confidence-plunges-to-lowest-since-pandemic-began-amid-omicron-chill\/","title":{"rendered":"Small business confidence plunges to lowest since pandemic began amid Omicron chill"},"content":{"rendered":"<p> \n<\/p>\n<div id=\"\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumb\" class=\"breadcrumbs\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Breadcrumb Trail Links<\/h2>\n<ol class=\"breadcrumbs__items list-unstyled\">\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\"> News <\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\"> FP Economy <\/li>\n<li class=\"breadcrumbs__item\"> Entrepreneur <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/nav>\n<p class=\"article-subtitle\"> CFIB calls for government&#8217;s help &#8216;if we want to avoid mass casualties in the small business community&#8217; <\/p>\n<figure class=\"featured-image\"><picture class=\"featured-image__ratio\"><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;h=423&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;h=846&amp;type=webp 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 1200px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=564&amp;h=423&amp;type=jpg,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=1128&amp;h=846&amp;type=jpg 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;h=354&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;h=708&amp;type=webp 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><source media=\"(min-width: 768px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=472&amp;h=354&amp;type=jpg,&#10;                https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=944&amp;h=708&amp;type=jpg 2x\" type=\"image\/jpeg\"\/><source media=\"(max-width: 767px)\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=288&amp;h=216&amp;type=webp,&#10;            https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/store-0118.jpg?quality=90&amp;strip=all&amp;w=576&amp;h=432&amp;type=webp 2x\" type=\"image\/webp\"\/><\/picture><figcaption class=\"featured-image__caption image-caption\"><span class=\"caption\">A pedestrian checks the hours of a magazine store in Montreal which was closed on Sunday because of restrictions aimed at curbing coronavirus hospitalizations.<\/span> <span class=\"credit\">Photo by Christinne Muschi\/Bloomberg<\/span> <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>Small business confidence in Canada hasn\u2019t been this low since the dark days at the beginning of the pandemic.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>Renewed lockdowns and restrictions amid the Omicron outbreak sent the 12-month outlook spiralling to its lowest since April 2020, preliminary results from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business\u2019s Business Barometer showed today.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe last time optimism was this low was in the spring of 2020. We are once again seeing negative staffing plans and more owners who say their business is in bad shape than those who say it is in good shape,\u201d said Simon Gaudreault, vice-president of National Research at CFIB. \u201cThis really underlines how precarious the situation is for a lot of small businesses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Nearly a quarter of business owners expect to have to cut full-time staff in the next few months, the survey found. Three in 10 (31 per cent) say their business is in bad shape while 29 per cent say it is in good shape. In December those figures were reversed, said CFIB.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div id=\"\">\n<h2 class=\"visually-hidden\">Article content<\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re seeing echoes of the first months of the pandemic, when business owners really didn\u2019t know when they would be able to reopen and were facing tough choices, like whether to lay off staff or even cut their losses and close for good,\u201d said Andreea Bourgeois, director of economics at CFIB.<\/p>\n<section aria-labelledby=\"moreTopicLabel2945636355242990824195842093067100\" class=\"more-topic\" data-carousel-component=\"\" data-carousel-icon-button=\"\" data-carousel-type=\"list\"> <button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-prev\" data-carousel-prev=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"previous\" type=\"button\"\/> <\/p>\n<ol class=\"more-topic__items list-unstyled\" data-carousel-slide-list=\"\" tabindex=\"0\">\n<li class=\"more-topic__item\" data-carousel-item=\"\">  <picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Storefronts in Ottawa's Glebe neighbourhood are reflected in a sign indicating the temporary closure of a business to prevent the spread of COVID-19.\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/no0114small_biz.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/no0114small_biz.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/no0114small_biz.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2x,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/no0114small_biz.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 3x\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<h3 class=\"more-topic__item-text\"> <span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\"> Arlene Dickinson: \u2018Harrowing time\u2019 to run a small business <\/span> <\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"more-topic__item\" data-carousel-item=\"\">  <picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"A store in Toronto displays a sign saying 'CEBA Won\u2019t Help Us' during the COVID-19 pandemic. A recent Equifax Canada survey found that most small business owners do not feel supported by their banks and government.&#10;&#10;\" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ceba0927.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ceba0927.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ceba0927.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2x,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.prod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/ceba0927.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 3x\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<h3 class=\"more-topic__item-text\"> <span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\"> More than half of small businesses don\u2019t feel supported by their government and banks <\/span> <\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"more-topic__item\" data-carousel-item=\"\">  <picture class=\"more-topic__item-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development says its economic indicator suggests Canada's rebound has peaked and is losing momentum. \" class=\"lazyload\" src=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/closed-0117.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80\" height=\"96\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/closed-0117.jpg?h=96&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/closed-0117.jpg?h=192&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 2x,&#10;                                    https:\/\/smartcdn.gprod.postmedia.digital\/financialpost\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/closed-0117.jpg?h=288&amp;strip=all&amp;quality=80 3x\" width=\"96\"\/><\/picture>\n<h3 class=\"more-topic__item-text\"> <span class=\"more-topic__item-text-clamp\"> Canada&#8217;s pandemic rebound has peaked and is losing momentum, says OECD <\/span> <\/h3>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><button aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"more-topic__button-next\" data-carousel-next=\"\" tabindex=\"-1\" title=\"next\" type=\"button\"\/> <\/section>\n<p>CFIB president Dan Kelly said this may be the most economically dangerous point of the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>Businesses have been weakened by two years of pandemic restrictions with average debt loads reaching $170,000. Then just as they are beginning to recovery new lockdowns and restrictions have been implemented without a full return of support programs, he said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThis needs to change today if we want to avoid mass casualties in the small business community,\u201d said Kelly.<\/p>\n<p>The CFIB is calling on provinces to quickly end COVID restrictions and all governments to return to similar levels of support as were in place early in the pandemic.<\/p>\n<p>CFIB will release full results of its January Business Barometer on Jan. 27.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n<br \/>Small business confidence plunges to lowest since pandemic began amid Omicron chill<\/a><br \/>\n<br \/>2022-01-18 15:45:36<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Breadcrumb Trail Links News FP Economy Entrepreneur CFIB calls for government&#8217;s help &#8216;if we want to avoid mass casualties in the small business community&#8217; A pedestrian checks the hours of&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":17613,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-17612","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-economy"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17612","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17612"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17612\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media\/17613"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17612"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17612"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pantheregroup.com\/api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17612"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}