CANADA – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce issued the following statement in response to the news today from Statistics Canada that Canada lost 88,000 jobs in January, the steepest single-month job loss since 2009.
“While it would be a mistake to assume that one month’s figures necessarily indicate a trend, January’s dramatic decline in jobs should remind Canada’s governments that investment and jobs are at risk.
“We wrote to the Prime Minister and the Provincial Premiers last July to warn about ‘the serious cumulative impact of the growing burden posed by fees, taxes and regulations the private sector is being asked to bear.
“We pointed out that, while Canadian governments continue to pile an ever-increasing burden onto Canadian businesses, our competitors are cutting the tax and regulatory burden on theirs.
“Since we sent our letter, the United States has undertaken the most sweeping tax and regulatory reforms in over a generation, all of which are designed to attract investment and jobs, while our governments have continued moving in the other direction.
“Governments may ignore competitiveness, but investors don’t. The next federal budget, which is expected within a few weeks, must focus on closing the gap. Continued inaction risks the futures of families and businesses across Canada.
“Today’s job numbers should be a wake-up call. Now is the time for us to take the initiative and build a winning economy for all Canadians.”
The Canadian Chamber of Commerce helps shape public policy and decision-making to the benefit of businesses, communities. and families across Canada with a network of over 450 chambers of commerce and boards of trade, representing 200,000 businesses of all sizes in all sectors of the economy and in all regions.
