National

Small businesses seek hiring aid in federal budget

Darpan News Desk The Canadian Press, 30 Mar, 2022 12:24 PM

OTTAWA - The voice of Canadian small business says it hopes the federal government breathes extra months of life into an incentive for companies to hire new staff, a way to help firms only now hitting recovery mode.

Dan Kelly, president of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, says his organization has asked Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland to extend the hiring credit.

Budget 2022: Small businesses need to be the central focus of Canada’s economic recovery | CFIB https://t.co/R6KRhDR15V
— Dan Kelly (@CFIB) March 30, 2022

The hiring incentive and two other programs aimed at hard-hit businesses are scheduled to expire in early May.

The government introduced the credit in last year's budget, providing a subsidy to struggling businesses that expanded their payrolls by hiring staff or giving their workers more hours during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kelly says take-up of the program has been low because public health restrictions have only recently eased, allowing businesses to get closer to usual operations.

It's why he is hoping the Liberals add six more months to the program to give it life until the fall.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

B.C., Washington to work on flooding plan

Flooding in southern B.C. and northern Washington in November displaced an estimated 500 people south of the border and about 14,000 were forced to flee their homes on the Canadian side.

B.C., Washington to work on flooding plan

237 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

There are 345 individuals hospitalized with COVID-19 and 50 are in intensive care. In the past 24 hours, no new deaths have been reported, for an overall total of 2,946.

237 COVID19 cases for Tuesday

Conservative leadership race: who's in, who's out

With Sept. 10 picked as the date for when the Conservative Party of Canada will have a new leader, time is ticking for prospective candidates and their teams to get into place. Those running have until April 19 to throw their hat into the ring and until June 3 to sell memberships.

Conservative leadership race: who's in, who's out

Considerable avalanche risk on B.C. South Coast

The agency warning covers alpine, treeline and below-treeline sections on south coast mountains for Tuesday and Thursday. It says recent storm slabs could likely be triggered by human activity in the area.

Considerable avalanche risk on B.C. South Coast

Auditor makes recommendations for BC Housing

In an audit of BC Housing's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, auditor general Michael Pickup says the Crown corporation did not have a process to ensure hotel and motel operators fulfilled their agreements for the space.

Auditor makes recommendations for BC Housing

Future of work shows promise but also inequality

The BC Federation of Labour, which represents more than half a million workers in B.C., recommends governments ensure there are no barriers to unionization in the changing labour market.