The 2026 Ontario small business municipal platform, recently released by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), lists 11 suggested actions the province’s municipalities can take to help small businesses deal with less red tape and access tariff relief through fee holidays.
According to CFIB, the recommendations in the Ontario small business municipal platform also aim to address construction impacts through a construction mitigation policy toolkit, make business property taxes affordable, and protect business tax dollars.
CFIB’s specific suggestions included the following:
- Create a red tape reduction commissioner and a Red Tape Reduction Office
- Waive certain fees for small businesses directly impacted by US tariffs and Canadian counter-tariffs
- Designate a business liaison officer for businesses affected by lengthy and disruptive municipal construction projects
- Establish a small business property tax subclass with business tax savings of up to 35 percent that are matched by the provincial government
- Limit annual spending to population growth and cap it at the inflation rate
“Our fiscally prudent recommendations would help Ontario’s 444 urban and rural municipalities create the right climate to attract and keep small businesses, in both good and bad economic times,” said Julie Kwiecinski, CFIB director of provincial affairs in Ontario, in a media release.
Canadian Federation of Independent Business survey
According to the findings of CFIB’s August 2026 survey on what candidates can consider prioritizing in their campaign efforts, decreasing municipal red tape (including building and renovation permits, business licences, and sign approvals) received 78 percent support from the small business owners polled.
“These survey results aren’t surprising,” said Angela Drennan, CFIB vice president for legislative affairs in Ontario, in the media release. “Our members keep telling us that unnecessary, excessive, and duplicative rules take precious time away from running a business.”
Meanwhile, performing annual value-for-money audits of all departments during the budget process for more municipal savings garnered 48 percent support in the CFIB survey.
“As they try to navigate an unpredictable economy and ever-rising costs from all fronts, small businesses look everywhere for savings, so they expect governments to do the same,” Drennan said.
Of the small businesses surveyed, 88 percent said they would vote in the Ontario municipal elections on Oct. 26.
“With such a strong voter turnout expected from the small business community, we’re hoping candidates in communities across the province will openly support our platform ideas,” Kwiecinski said in CFIB’s media release.
More CFIB news
Here are some other recent news stories involving CFIB.
Amid the Alberta government’s release of its fall fiscal update in late August, CFIB called for the use of the $2 billion surplus reported to help the province’s small businesses avail of a reduced tax rate and expanded fuel cost relief measures.
While CFIB reported on July 23 that overall small business confidence shot up to 58.3 index points last month, CFIB noted that its survey ran from July 7–13, before the newest US tariff threats came to light.
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