NOVEMBER 2, 2016
News Advertiser
PAGE 5
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Small business confidence takes another turn for the worse
CFIB
Alberta small business confidence
dropped five and a half points in
October to 41.5 according to the
monthly Business Barometer® index
published by the Canadian Federation
of Independent Business (CFIB). This
figure again approaches the lowest
low experienced during the 2008-
2009 recession.
Staffing intentions worsened with 40
per cent of Alberta businesses saying
they may enact full-time reductions in
the next three months. This shot up
13 points over September. Only five
per cent plan to hire, half the number
of September.
“Small business owners are deeply
uncertain about the future and it is
affecting their day to day operations
in a big way. Employers are making
tough decisions about staffing levels
and have indicated there are more
adjustments to come,” says Amber
Ruddy, Director of Provincial Affairs
for Alberta.
Insufficient demand continues to be
the biggest limitation on business
growth (68%). Sixty-nine per cent of
entrepreneurs list tax and regulatory
costs as a major cost constraint, while
66 per cent cite wage pressures. These
indicators were down two points each
from September.
The general state of business
remained negative. Fourteen per
cent of business owners say the gen-
eral state of business health is good,
while 35 per cent state they are in bad
shape.
“Half-baked government policies
like the $15 minimum wage and a
multi-billion dollar carbon tax ignore
current economic realities. Employers
are making changes in their busi-
nesses now to prepare for pain yet to
come,” said Ruddy.
The national Business Barometer
index dipped to 57.7. The other pro-
vincial numbers were: PEI (65.8),
British Columbia (65.5), Nova Scotia
(65.5), Quebec (64.8), Ontario (60.4),
New Brunswick (56.1), Manitoba
(55.6), Saskatchewan (55.1) and
Newfoundland & Labrador (44.4).
Measured on a scale of 0 and 100, an
index level above 50 means owners
expecting their businesses’ perfor-
mance to be stronger in the next year
outnumber those expecting weaker
performance. According to past
results, index levels normally range
between 65 and 75 when the economy
is growing at its potential.
October 2016 findings are based on
651 responses, collected from a strati-
fied random sample of CFIB mem-
bers, to a controlled-access web survey.
Data reflect responses received
through October 17. Findings are
statistically accurate to +/- 3.8 per
cent 19 times in 20.
AHS provides support
with healthworkshops
SarahMegran
Alberta Health Services is inviting
local individuals to attend supportive
health information workshops that
are helping Albertans make positive
adjustments to their lifestyles.
The workshops are offered as part of
the Alberta Healthy Living Program
(AHLP), an AHS initiative designed
to promote healthy living and provide
easy access to helpful information.
The assortment of AHLP workshops
cover a range of information, includ-
ing heart health, weight management,
nutrition, diabetes care, chronic ill-
ness management and more.
All AHLP sessions are led by AHS
professionals who share their exper-
tise in group discussions and provide
support and encouragement to par-
ticipants. More than 140 educational
workshops will be offered throughout
Central Zone. Each workshop is free
of charge.
Upcoming workshops in Vegreville
include:
Diabetes The Basics (One session)
Learn how to better manage Type 2
diabetes and pre-diabetes. For those
newly diagnosed or wanting an
update.
November 25
(9:30 a.m. – 3:30
p.m.) at the
Vegreville
Community
Health Centre
Heart Wise (One
session)
via
Telehealth
Learn about
high blood pres-
sure, cholesterol and heart healthy
nutrition.
November 3 (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.)
at St. Joseph’s General Hospital
Weight Wise Nutrition: Eating Away
FromHomeAndOnSpecial Occasions
(One session)
Learn strategies to minimize extra
calories when eating away from home
and during spe-
cial occasions.
December 7
(4:15 p.m. – 6:45
p.m.) at the
Vegreville
Community
Health Centre
Registration is
required as date
and time are sub-
ject to change.
For more infor-
mation and to
register to attend,
please call the
Alberta Healthy
Living Program
Central Zone at
1-877-314-6997
