Canadian farmers burnt out by government red tape, CFIB

Farmers are burnt out by excessive government regulations, confusing forms and bad customer service. These and other findings were released today by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), which also found that one-third of agribusiness owners would not advise their children to start a business given the burden of government red tape.

The findings are part of a larger report, released today, on the impact of government regulation on Canadian businesses. Farmers continue to be among the hardest hit businesses in Canada, with 63 per cent saying their business has been impacted by delays caused from red tape, compared to 56 per cent of small business owners generally.

“Red tape hits home the closest for farmers,” said Marilyn Braun-Pollon, CFIB’s vice-president for Agri-business. “A farmer doesn’t have time to sit on the phone waiting for government to answer questions or fill out piles of confusing paperwork in the middle of calving. To add insult to injury, farmers feel the red tape burden is getting worse.”

What red tape does to Canadian agri-business owners:

Here are key findings from the report on the impact of red tape on agribusinesses:

- adds significant stress – 86 per cent;

- takes time away from friends and family – 72 per cent;

- significantly reduces productivity in their business – 64 per cent;

- discourages business growth – 63 per cent;

- would not advise their children to start a business, given the red tape burden – 35 per cent.

“Canada has a proud farming tradition, and red tape shouldn’t be allowed to hold back the next generation from wanting to take over,” added Senior Policy Analyst, Mandy D’Autremont. “While governments are great at celebrating agriculture, which is important, what farmers really want is for governments to set them free from excessive red tape.”