Tight budgets no excuse for ignoring a key sector of B . C . economy

vancouversun.com · Feb 19, 2026 · Collected from GDELT

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They are asking for certainty and workable rules — and there practical, low-cost improvements government can make right nowLast updated 2 hours ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Independent retailers and small manufacturers benefit directly from smoother internal trade and more robust Buy B.C. and Shop Local initiatives, writes Jeremy Heighton. Photo by tumsasedgars /Getty ImagesBritish Columbia’s small businesses understand fiscal pressure better than most. Every day, local entrepreneurs make hard decisions about payroll, rent, insurance, supply costs and customer demand — with an ever shrinking margin for error. So, when government points to financial constraints in Budget 2026, there is a recognition that these pressures are real.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account.Get exclusive access to the Vancouver Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on.Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists.Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists.Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorBut tight budgets should not become an excuse for ignoring a key sector of our economy.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againThe larger concern in this year’s budget is not just the size of the deficit — it is the trajectory. Rising deficits, rising provincial debt and debt-servicing costs will inevitably limit government’s future flexibility. As interest payments consume a growing share of public resources, less capacity remains to invest in communities, infrastructure and local economic resilience. And when flexibility shrinks, small businesses are often the first to feel it.That is why policy precision matters more than ever.The budget document suggests that small-business confidence is improving. We challenge that and suggest that confidence is difficult to measure without conversation. It is even harder to sustain when there is no clear channel for input into government decisions. The provincial government recently eliminated the Small Business Roundtable — the only structured, non-partisan, ongoing forum through which entrepreneurs and local business leaders could directly raise emerging concerns or workshop policy ideas with government.This gap underscores the need for a Ministry of State for Small Business. Not to create bureaucracy, but to ensure that small-business impacts are considered early in the policy-development process — before regulations are finalized and unintended consequences ripple outward.Small businesses are not asking for expensive new programs. They are asking for certainty, co-ordination and workable rules.There are practical, low-cost improvements government can make right now.Removing interprovincial trade barriers would strengthen domestic markets and reduce exposure to external shocks. Independent retailers and small manufacturers benefit directly from smoother internal trade and more robust Buy B.C. and Shop Local initiatives.Reducing red tape would also deliver immediate value. Targeted regulatory adjustments and better co-ordination across ministries can strengthen resilience at minimal cost. For example, restaurants are now required to report all income — including tips — as payroll for WorkSafeBC purposes, increasing premiums and administrative complexity. At the same time, Canada Revenue Agency rules treat tips differently depending on whether they are paid by card or cash. Employers are effectively placed in a position where complying with one system may trigger new obligations under another.Structured engagement would identify these conflicts early.Public safety co-ordination is another area where clarity and consistency matter. Budget 2026 includes funding for a Chronic Property Offending Initiative. The budget also includes a 15-per-cent refundable manufacturing tax credit that supports investment and productivity, and increased funding for trades training to help address workforce shortages.However, they are offset by new cost pressures. Expanding the PST to include a seven-per-cent tax on professional services raises operating costs for small firms. Income-tax increases reduce disposable income and consumer spending. Continued large deficits raise the risk of future tax and fee increases. Those costs do not stay in accounting columns — they are passed along to businesses and, ultimately, to customers, placing additional pressure on prices and lowering demand as consumers tighten their belts.Small businesses understand that government must balance priorities. They are not asking for special treatment. They are asking to be heard — and to have policy impacts considered before decisions are made.In a constrained fiscal environment, the most cost-effective economic development strategy available is simple: Include the voices of local job creators and main-street businesses early and often.Strong communities are built on strong commercial districts. And strong commercial districts depend on thoughtful, co-ordinated policy — especially when budgets are tight.Jeremy Heighton is president of Business Improvement Areas of B.C., which represents the majority of the province’s BIAs and approximately 55,000 businesses. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.