Business

Winnipeg Free Press - ONLINE EDITION

More small businesses plan to hire full-time workers: report

By: Staff Writer

Posted: 02/28/2013 10:27 AM | Comments: 0

Hiring intentions among Manitoba small businesses is at its highest level since 2009, even though business confidence remains in the tank, according to a new survey by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.

In its latest monthly Business Barometer report released today, the CFIB said more than a quarter (27 per cent) of small businesses surveyed said they intend to hire full-time workers in the second quarter of this year.

"That level of hiring has not been seen since 2009," said Janine Carmichael, the federation’s Manitoba director.

And that’s despite the fact small business optimism remains at one of the lowest levels in the country, the federation added. It said Manitoba’s optimism index remained unchanged this month, at 63.4.

That’s the third lowest optimism rate among the provinces. It’s nearly three per points below the national average of 66.2, and almost eight points below Alberta’s country-leading 71.0.

Carmichael also noted that even though hiring intentions are high for this time of year, 49 per cent of Manitoba small businesses still list a shortage of skilled labour as the top operating challenge they face. Insufficient domest demand for their products was a distant second, at 29 per cent.

murray.mcneill@freepress.mb.ca

Fact Check

Have you found an error, or know of something we’ve missed in one of our stories? Please use the form below and let us know.

* Required

In which story did you find the error? *
Please post the headline of the story or the title of the video with the error.
What was the error? *
Please post exactly what was wrong with the story.
What should we have written?
Please indicate your source for the correct information.
Who else should we interview to improve this story?
Please include any contact information you may have.
Can we contact you in the future for advice on stories about this topic?
Yes

No
First Name: *
Last Name: *
E–mail Address: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Phone: *
This will only be used to contact you if we have a question about your submission, it will not be used to identify you or be published.
Colour:
Are you blue? If you can see this, leave it blank and get some CSS support.
Enter the words that you see: * This is to prevent our forms from being filled out automatically.
You have failed to correctly identify the words in the box above. Please try again.

More Business

Undock

You can comment on most stories on winnipegfreepress.com. You can also agree or disagree with other comments. All you need to do is register and/or login and you can join the conversation and give your feedback.

Have Your Say

New to commenting? Check out our Frequently Asked Questions.

The Winnipeg Free Press does not necessarily endorse any of the views posted. By submitting your comment, you agree to our Terms and Conditions. These terms were revised effective April 16, 2010.