Page 3 - CFIB

his month’s BEC Executive Interview is with Dan Kelly. Kelly

is the President, CEO, and Chair of the Board of Governors of
Tthe Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), and

the lead spokesperson and advocate for the views of the Federation's

95,000 small and medium-sized member businesses.

Following the onset of the pandemic, Canada experienced a drastic

drop in its real gross domestic product (GDP), with the economy
contracting 18.2% between March and April 2020. We spoke to Kelly

about the role of independent businesses to the Canadian economy,

and how the CFIB has supported Canadian independent businesses
for 50 years.

Q: Please give an overview of Independent Businesses in Canada. What

do they contribute to the country’s economy? How many Canadians are

employed by independent businesses?
A: Canada is a nation of small, independent businesses. There are

over 1.1 million small firms with paid staff and if you include the self-
employed, there are over 3 million Canadians who work for themselves.

Many Canadians don’t realize that half of the country’s GDP and 60

per cent of private sector employment is created by small businesses.

Q: What impact has the COVID 19 Pandemic had on Canada’s

Independent Businesses?
A: The pandemic has had a massive impact on Canada’s small

business community. This is especially true in certain sectors that

typically deliver services face-to-face with their customers, such as
retail, hospitality, personal services and arts and recreation. Lockdowns

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