Wednesday, June 10, 2026 | Today's Newsletter | Login
Not-So-Happy-Holi for BC Small Businesses
Shachi writes about politics, culture, economics and anything else provocative, thoughtful or fun.
Born and raised in BC, Shachi Kurl is Director of Communications for Vision Critical, a leading market research and technology firm headquartered out in Vancouver BC.
Shachi has more than a decade of journalism experience in BC as Legislative Reporter for CTV Vancouver Island, as a reporter for Global Vancouver, CBC Radio, and as a contributing columnist for the Vancouver Sun. She is the recipient of the prestigious Jack Webster award for Best TV Reporting.
Shachi is a graduate of Carleton University's schools of Journalism and Political Science.
Today is Holi - a tradtional Indian festival celebrated by an explosion of color - and optimism - at Spring's arrival.
But in BC, Spring is bringing more turbulence and uncertainty to the Small Business sector.
BC Business Optimism fell in February to 64.9 from 69.3 in January (index levels between 65 and 75 indicate a growing economy).
BC’s business confidence level dropped below the national average for the first time in 16 months, moving BC from the third most optimistic province in Canada to sixth place.
By contrast, business owners across the West are the most optimistic in Canada; Alberta ranking first (72.3), Saskatchewan second (70.1), and Manitoba third (69.5) for business confidence.
Basically - our optimism levels are on par with Ontario... an economy that is suffering.
Most BC employers do not plan to make changes to full-time employment levels (73 per cent), while 14 per cent are planning to increase full-time employment and 13 per cent are planning to decrease employment.
55 per cent of businesses in BC say the overall state of business is satisfactory, 26 per cent say it is good, and 19 per cent say it is bad.
Fuel and energy are the largest cost concerns for businesses with 51 per cent of business owners saying these costs are causing difficulties to their businesses.
47 per cent of BC small businesses say that insufficient domestic demand is their greatest business constraint.
All of this is outlined and illustrated in the attached BC Business Barometer for February. The national report, including a comparison chart of CFIB’s business barometer and GDP, can be found at http://www.cfib.ca/research/barometer/.
Leave a comment
