Toronto, January 30, 2025 – The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) today released Keeping Ontario Competitive: CFIB’s 2025 Top 10 Ontario Election Priorities document with recommended tax and regulatory measures to ensure Ontario’s economy is as competitive and productive as possible to counter the impacts of potential U.S. tariffs and other risks to our economy created by our top trading partner.
“U.S. threats to Ontario’s competitiveness over the next four years make it even more important that the next government comes in laser-focused on boosting Ontario’s productivity and enhancing our small business climate,” said Julie Kwiecinski, CFIB’s Ontario director of provincial affairs. “U.S. tariffs are getting all the airtime right now, but we’ll also be faced with ongoing global threats to our competitiveness. All our election priorities connect to competitiveness and actions our elected representatives in Ontario can take to keep small businesses in top gear and here.”
Some of CFIB’s main Ontario election priorities include:
• Immediately lower the Small Business Tax Rate from 3.2-2%, with a plan to gradually bring it down to 0%, increase the small business deduction threshold to at least $700,000, and index the threshold to inflation annually.
• Break down internal trade barriers by mutually recognizing all provincial and territorial regulatory standards.
• Continue returning WSIB surplus funds to eligible Ontario businesses when the Board’s funding level is at least 115%, while maintaining reasonable premium rates.
• Make the provincial gasoline and fuel tax cuts permanent, regardless of what happens with the federal carbon tax.
• Set up an Ontario construction mitigation fund to compensate small businesses for revenue losses due to lengthy, disruptive construction projects that are managed by the province (e.g., Metrolinx) and/or include provincial funding.
“Potential U.S. tariffs also make knocking down interprovincial trade barriers more critical than ever,” said Ryan Mallough, CFIB’s vice president, legislative affairs. “The next Premier of Ontario needs to set the example for the rest of the country to follow by removing internal barriers to the movement of goods, services and people, and mutually recognizing all provincial and territorial regulatory standards.”
For media inquiries or interviews, please contact:
Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB
647-464-2814
public.affairs@cfib.ca
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small- and medium-sized businesses with 100,000 members across every industry and region, including 39,000 in Ontario. 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.
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