CFIB applauds Alberta for announcing 2011 as the Year of the Entrepreneur
2011 is the Year of the Entrepreneur in Alberta and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business is hoping the provincial government will be encouraged to provide greater support for entrepreneurs.
“It’s important to have a vision that supports entrepreneurship and we hope the government uses this as a springboard to reinvigorate the Alberta Advantage,” says CFIB Senior VP for Western Canada Laura Jones.
In CFIB’s recent public opinion poll of Canadians, in partnership with Intel and HP, 94 per cent of Canadians agreed that small business is vital to their community and 98 per cent agreed that small business important to Canada’s future. The same poll showed that 83 per cent felt that governments undervalue the contributions of small business.
“Articulating a strong vision is a great start and now Albertans are counting on their government to take actions that ensure that small businesses across Alberta will flourish long after the Year of the Entrepreneur has come to a close,” says Jones.
- Canadian Federation has called on the Alberta government to:
- Reduce its small business tax rate, which is currently the highest in Western Canada.
- Restore the Tax Exempt Fuel Use (TEFU) for licensed vehicles, TEFU was eliminated in the spring budget
- Make a commitment to reduce red tape. Alberta lags behind many other provinces in its regulatory accountability and reducing red tape is a low cost initiative that is very important to entrepreneurs.
“As CFIB celebrates its 40th anniversary this month, it’s fantastic to see governments across Canada, including Alberta, acknowledging the vital role small business play in helping communities thrive,” explains Jones.
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