Small Business

Less than 1% of Manitoba’s minimum wage subsidy paid to small businesses, the rest unclaimed

August 17, 2024

A subsidy designed to help some Manitoba businesses lift their salaries to reach the higher minimum wage has hardly been utilized.

Of the $6 million budgeted for the six-month program that started last October, the province has only sold out $20,400 of the funds — or 0.3 per cent — to a total of 108 businesses, the government said. The program is still running until the end of March, however.

Business owners and supporters say the application process for the subsidy program is too onerous for the amount small businesses would be receiving.

The small uptake “tells you the program

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kirara
Small Business

Small businesses are getting a break on credit card fees starting next year – National

May 22, 2023

Many Canadian small businesses could soon save hundreds of dollars a year on costly credit card fees, thanks to a deal reached between Ottawa, Visa and Mastercard.

The deal will see qualifying small businesses pay less on credit card transactions by lowering interchange fees paid to banks.

Ottawa expects 90 per cent of Canadian small businesses will qualify for the lower fees, which would save companies an estimated $1 billion over five years in total.


Click to play video: 'Nova Scotia businesses call for credit processing fees to be lowered'


Nova Scotia businesses call for credit processing fees to be lowered


The finalized arrangement was announced by Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland on Thursday in

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Small Business

Federal budget 2023: How it impacts you

May 7, 2023

The federal government unveiled its spring budget Tuesday, with a clean economy as the centrepiece, and detailing targeted measures to help Canadians deal with still-high inflation.

Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland tabled the 255-page budget Tuesday, after signaling for weeks she’d try to strike a balance between fiscal restraint and targeted spending for vulnerable Canadians.

CTVNews.ca has analyzed the documents to identify which line items that, if passed in Parliament, will have the greatest impact on Canadian small businesses, families, students and seniors.

ARE YOU STRUGGLING WITH THE COST OF LIVING?

While inflation has cooled for the second consecutive month —

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Small Business

Small businesses expect to grow in the next 6 months despite challenges

April 21, 2023

62% of small and medium-sized businesses anticipate growth

Published April 21, 2023 • Last updated 6 hours ago • 4 minute read

A man and his daughter enter a store on Bank Street in Ottawa.
A man and his daughter enter a store on Bank Street in Ottawa. Photo by Julie Oliver/POSTMEDIA files

good morning!

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Small Business

Top small businesses African entrepreneurs want to start

April 12, 2023

A new survey by ZenBusiness has found that the industries that most attract entrepreneurs vary from country to country and depend on various factors such as infrastructure, business climate, and culture.

according to the survey, Personal services are the most-searched-for small business type in 22.7% of African countries, the largest share of any continent. These include interior design in Mauritius, cooking gas refills in South Africa, and photography in Namibia.

The map below shows the business entrepreneurs want to start most throughout Africa.

type-of-business-every-country-wants-to-start-map-africa

Here are the top small business types that entrepreneurs in 22.7% of African countries want to start:

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Small Business

A little fantasy at Small Business Fair in Prince George

March 31, 2023

There’s a Small Business Fair at the Roll-A-Dome this weekend in Prince George. Find a little whimsy at Leah Moncher’s booth.

She calls herself a serial crafter.

Leah Moncher creates teddy bears, hand-knits their clothing and creates hard-cover note books using resin and all these items are for sale right now at the Small Business Fair at the Roll-A-Dome this weekend.

For Leah her serial crafting started at eight years old with a pair of knitting needles, then moved to hand-sewn items a bit later on and about 20 years ago she started making heirloom-quality teddy bears that look like

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Small Business

Small business owners switch banks due to poor customer service: CFIB

March 19, 2023

More than half of Canadian business owners who have switched banks have done so due to poor customer service, according to a report by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business released March 16.

“If the big banks want to retain their small business clients, their primary focus should be on improving their customer service,” said CFIB senior vice-president, Corinne Pohlmann.

Small business owners often feel like the service they receive from larger banks is “not fully up to the standards they expect,” Pohlmann said, adding that it’s not surprising that they choose to switch their banks.

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Small Business

Controlling Your Sweet Tooth With Sweet & Simple Ontario Apple Snacks – Osinga Nutrition

March 4, 2023

A snack is always complete with a crunchy and sweet apple treat! Today I’m showing three simple apple recipes that will help control your sweet tooth!

This post was developed in partnership with Ontario Apple Growers and Produce Made Simple. Ontario apples can be enjoyed all year round and are really the perfect snack – no prep work required! However, these three snacks that I have here don’t take any time at all to make. Which one would you try?

Yogurt Apple Donuts

  • 1 Apple (I used honey crisp)
  • 1/2 cup Vanilla Greek Yogurt
  • 2 tbsp Almond Butter
  • Seeds &
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