After strong optimism last quarter, businesses in Prince Edward Island have seen a significant decrease in confidence according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
CFIB has released its monthly Business Barometer, and while the index for PEI dropped, it still remains several points above the national index.
The negative shift seen in September is widespread. Optimism dropped nationally and there were declines registered in all 10 provinces.
CFIB PEI’s Erin McGrath-Gaudet, expects that Ottawa’s proposed tax changes are a contributing factor, but says one month does not make a trend.
Business owners in Quebec remain the most optimistic, while owners in the Maritimes are also somewhat more optimistic than the national average.