Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 hours ago
On this episode of Boom and Bust, host Tony Clement sits down with Corinne Pohlmann, Executive Vice President of Advocacy at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), for a frank conversation about the state of Canada's small business economy.
With more businesses now closing than opening and small and medium-sized enterprises making up nearly 50% of Canada's GDP Corinne breaks down the pressures pushing entrepreneurs to the brink, from COVID hangovers and inflation to labour shortages and tariff wars. The two dig into the federal small business tax rate, the outdated $500,000 income threshold, capital gains reform, and the crushing weight of regulatory red tape. Corinne also shares why 55% of CFIB members say they wouldn't recommend starting a business in Canada right now, and what governments can do to reverse the entrepreneurial drought. All this and more on this episode of Boom and Bust.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — Welcome to Boom and Bust with Corinne Pohlmann
01:06 — More businesses closing than opening: a worrisome trend
02:08 — How tax rates hurt Canada's small businesses
03:14 — The call for a lower federal small business tax rate
06:07 — The outdated $500K small business threshold
07:32 — How Canada compares to the U.S. and OECD
09:45 — Beyond taxes: regulation and economic growth
11:43 — Capital gains and the lifetime exemption
13:24 — Red tape reform and the municipal focus
16:55 — Time for a full overhaul of the tax system?
18:48 — Costs, labour shortages, tariffs and AI
GUESTS
• Corinne Pohlmann - Executive Vice President, Advocacy - CFIB
Boom and Bust
Host: Tony Clement
FOLLOW US
• Subscribe: youtube.com/@TheNewsForum
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/thenewsforum_
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-news-forum
TAGS
#BoomAndBust #TonyClement #CorinnePohlmann #CFIB #SmallBusiness #CanadianEconomy #SmallBiz #Entrepreneurship #TaxReform #RedTape #CanadianPolitics #Economy #SMB #BusinessCanada #Tariffs
On this episode of Boom and Bust, host Tony Clement sits down with Corinne Pohlmann, Executive Vice President of Advocacy at the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), for a frank conversation about the state of Canada's small business economy.
With more businesses now closing than opening and small and medium-sized enterprises making up nearly 50% of Canada's GDP Corinne breaks down the pressures pushing entrepreneurs to the brink, from COVID hangovers and inflation to labour shortages and tariff wars. The two dig into the federal small business tax rate, the outdated $500,000 income threshold, capital gains reform, and the crushing weight of regulatory red tape. Corinne also shares why 55% of CFIB members say they wouldn't recommend starting a business in Canada right now, and what governments can do to reverse the entrepreneurial drought. All this and more on this episode of Boom and Bust.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00 — Welcome to Boom and Bust with Corinne Pohlmann
01:06 — More businesses closing than opening: a worrisome trend
02:08 — How tax rates hurt Canada's small businesses
03:14 — The call for a lower federal small business tax rate
06:07 — The outdated $500K small business threshold
07:32 — How Canada compares to the U.S. and OECD
09:45 — Beyond taxes: regulation and economic growth
11:43 — Capital gains and the lifetime exemption
13:24 — Red tape reform and the municipal focus
16:55 — Time for a full overhaul of the tax system?
18:48 — Costs, labour shortages, tariffs and AI
GUESTS
• Corinne Pohlmann - Executive Vice President, Advocacy - CFIB
Boom and Bust
Host: Tony Clement
FOLLOW US
• Subscribe: youtube.com/@TheNewsForum
• Twitter/X: https://x.com/thenewsforum_
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/the-news-forum
TAGS
#BoomAndBust #TonyClement #CorinnePohlmann #CFIB #SmallBusiness #CanadianEconomy #SmallBiz #Entrepreneurship #TaxReform #RedTape #CanadianPolitics #Economy #SMB #BusinessCanada #Tariffs
