Province's plan to provide fuel tax relief comes as welcome news for MB small businesses

Winnipeg, November 24, 2023 - The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is pleased to see the Manitoba Government introduce legislation that, if passed, will temporarily pause the collection of the provincial tax on gasoline for at least six months.

“With 63 per cent of Manitoba small businesses owners indicating fuel and energy costs have been creating significant challenges for their businesses, CFIB’s message to the Manitoba government has been clear: cost relief has become increasingly urgent for small business owners,” said Brianna Solberg, Director of Provincial Affairs for CFIB. “To that end, we have long been urging the provincial government to suspend the fuel tax to help offset increased costs.”

If passed, this Bill to suspend the provincial fuel tax will aid small businesses on their road to recovery however, more is needed. To further support small businesses, CFIB is calling on the Manitoba government to:

• Increase the small business corporate tax rate revenue threshold to $600,000;
• Keep the commitment to eliminate education property taxes, and ensure commercial property owners aren’t paying more than their fair share in the meantime;
• Commit to a “do no harm” approach: no increasing costs or introducing new ones (e.g., paid sick days);
• Take action to address labour shortages by reducing the complexity, red tape, and cost associated with hiring newcomers; and
• Return to a stable predictable formula for future increases once minimum wage reaches $15.30/hour.

“We appreciate Premier Kinew and the Manitoba government recognizing the importance of providing cost relief, and we hope to see the province continue to take steps to help small businesses survive and thrive,” Solberg concluded.

To add your voice to CFIB’s calls for additional cost relief from the provincial government, click here to sign our petition.

For media inquiries or interviews, please contact:
Brianna Solberg, CFIB
306-713-8071
Brianna.solberg@cfib.ca

About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small- and medium-sized businesses with 97,000 members across every industry and region, including over 4,000 in Manitoba. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.