PREFER THE PANDEMIC: Small business owners fed up with skyrocketing crime
· Toronto Sun
OTTAWA — As skyrocketing crime and social disorder become daily realities for many Canadians, half of this country’s small businesses say the problem’s only getting worse.
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That’s according to new research by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB,) whose members say they’re growing increasingly concerned over their safety.
“Owners should not be spending more time and money managing theft, vandalism and safety risks than running their business,” said the CFIB’s Kayode Southwood, adding their members are finding the financial and emotional tolls exhausting.
“Governments need to respond with stronger consequences for repeat and organized offenders, streamlined reporting and faster responses from police, and supports aimed at prevention and recovery.”
Some business owners, he said, have spent thousands of dollars beefing up their security and replacing smashed windows.
“Some have even said they’d rather take the pandemic over the crime they’re dealing with now,” Southwood added.
Complaints track national crime trends
The CFIB’s findings show small business owners who report the most concern operate in high-crime areas.
In fact, only 2% of those surveyed by the federation reported a decrease in crime.
Fifty per cent of business owners reported a net increase in crime in 2025, while 37% said levels of crime remained unchanged.
The data collected by the CFIB correlates to crime trends tracked by Statistics Canada, the report suggests — pointing to business owners in Newfoundland and Labrador reporting the largest complaints among federation members about rising crime, followed by Manitoba and then Saskatchewan.
“When both the crime rate and the crime severity index (CSI) are broken out provincially, Newfoundland and Labrador is the only province showing a steady rise since 2020,” the report reads.
“Manitoba and Saskatchewan continue to report the highest crime rate and severity, which aligns with elevated concern identified in CFIB’s data.”
Personal safety also a concern
The study found that nearly half of business owners reported concern over the safety of themselves, their staff and customers — resorting to measures such as locking doors during business hours, and rejigging schedules so employees aren’t assigned to work alone.
According to the study, concerns about personal safety have eased over the past few years, but remain steady.
Forty-nine per cent of those polled said they’re concerned about the safety of their business, staff and customers — and when broken down provincially, those concerns largely match national crime trends.
The CFIB are calling on the federal government to follow through with meaningful changes to the Criminal Code to better address repeat offenders, set service standards to ensure prompt police response and streamline reporting processes, consider security rebates to help business owners deal with the extra costs of protecting their businesses and staff, and ensure business owners have a say in policy that directly impacts them.
Eighty-nine per cent of those polled say stronger penalties for organized retail theft rings are what’s needed most, with 67% saying the government needs to consult with small business owners to determine how best to help them.
“Everybody deserves to feel safe in the community where they’re trying to earn an honest living,” Southwood said.
“Too many owners tell us they lie awake at night watching their security cameras, hoping no one breaks in again.”