Canadian small business sales growth dropped 4.1% year-over-year (y/y), the largest quarterly decline in sales since the September quarter 2020, falling well below the long-term series average of 4.5% y/y.
Owners spend an average of nine hours a week feeling stressed, concerned or worried about their business, with financial management cited as a key pressure point.
According to the report, across all regions, most Canadians intend to include small businesses in their holiday shopping this year, even when it costs more to do so, and 1 in 4 Canadians plan to increase their small business spending this year compared to last year.