Read the full report here.
Calgary, AB, October 22, 2026 – In keeping with Small Business Week currently underway, the Calgary Chamber of Commerce is releasing a new policy report – Taking care of small business – outlining actionable recommendations for federal, provincial and municipal governments to reduce costs, remove barriers and ensure small businesses can grow and scale with the supports they need.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and our communities. They create jobs, drive entrepreneurship, investment and contribute to the vibrant neighbourhoods that make Calgary a great place to live and do business,” says Deborah Yedlin, President & CEO of the Calgary Chamber. “But rising costs, labour challenges and ongoing trade uncertainty are making it increasingly difficult for entrepreneurs to plan, invest and grow. Governments have an important role to play in ensuring public policy supports, rather than constrains, their success.”
In the third quarter of 2026, a survey of Calgary Chamber members found that more than 48 per cent of small business members anticipate issues with competition and customer acquisition, while 47 per cent struggle with economic uncertainty and 43 per cent expect inflation and affordability issues to be barriers to business growth. In the same time period, nearly one-third of small business in Canada expect U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports to negatively affect their operations in the coming year. These pressures are particularly challenging for small businesses, which often have fewer resources to absorb rising expenses, navigate complex regulations or respond to economic disruptions.
“Small businesses have consistently demonstrated their resilience and ability to adapt, but they cannot be expected to absorb every increase in costs or navigate unnecessary regulatory complexity,” adds Yedlin. “Each order of government has tools available to improve the business environment. Whether through competitive taxation, streamlined permitting, better access to financing or targeted support for businesses affected by tariffs, the priority must be creating certainty and enabling businesses to grow.”
Small businesses are foundational to Calgary’s economic strength, accounting for 93.8 per cent of its businesses in 2025. Across Canada, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) employed nearly eight million Canadians in 2024, representing 63.6 per cent of private-sector employment.
The Calgary Chamber is putting forward recommendations to all three levels of government including measures to improve tax competitiveness, invest in technology and productivity, reduce interprovincial trade barriers and strengthen public safety.
“Supporting small businesses is an investment in Canada’s economic future,” says Yedlin. “When small businesses have the tools and confidence to grow, they drive innovation, create jobs and develop the skilled workforce needed to support a more productive and competitive economy. By enabling entrepreneurs to invest, expand and seize new opportunities, we can strengthen our communities, build a more resilient workforce and lay the foundation for long-term prosperity across Calgary, Alberta and Canada.”
Recommendations
The report identifies priority actions for government:
- Federal:
- Reduce barriers to interprovincial trade and labour mobility
- Improve access to capital
- Provide technology adoption supports, lower Employment Insurance premiums for small businesses
- Provincial:
- Eliminate Alberta’s two per cent small business corporate income tax
- Reduce the insurance premium tax from four per cent to two per cent
- Expand access to growth capital and workforce training
- Municipal:
- Rebalance Calgary’s residential and non-residential property tax burden, shifting 2 per cent per year until reaching a 60/40 split between non-residential and residential properties.
- Simplify licensing and permitting
- Strengthen public safety through targeted small business security supports.
Quick Facts
- A June 2026 survey of the Calgary Chamber’s small businesses identified their top three concerns:
- Competition or customer acquisition (48 per cent)
- Economic uncertainty (47 per cent)
- Inflation & affordability (43 per cent)
- 93.8 per cent of Calgary businesses were classified as small businesses in 2025.
- 63.6 per cent of Canada’s private-sector workforce was employed by SMEs in 2024.
- 34.2 per cent of Canada’s private-sector GDP was generated by small businesses on average between 2018 and 2022.
- 97.4 per cent of Canadian goods-exporting enterprises were SMEs in 2024, accounting for 40 per cent of the value of goods exports.
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About the Calgary Chamber of Commerce
The Calgary Chamber exists to empower our business community to advance a prosperous Calgary and Canada. As the convenor and catalyst for a vibrant, inclusive and prosperous business community, the Chamber works to build strength and resilience among its members and position Calgary as a magnet for talent, diversification and opportunity. As an independent, non-profit, non-partisan organization founded in 1891, we build on our history to serve and advocate for businesses of all sizes, in all sectors across the city.
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