Along with Alberta and Saskatchewan, B.C.’s business confidence continues to outperform the national average, according to a Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) report released this morning.
The Business Barometer found that business confidence among B.C.’s small businesses held steady in December at 68.0 on the index – three points above the national average.
The index is measured between one and 100; a growing economy tends to rank between 65 and 75.
Ted Mallet, vice-president and chief economist for CFIB, said that in recent months, B.C.’s business confidence has followed the national trend – falling in late summer, shaken by the European sovereign debt crisis and uncertainty in the U.S. economy. (See “B.C.’s small business optimism falters” – BIV Business Today, September 7, 2011).
“[B.C.] is generally trending about three points above the national average,” Mallet said, noting that Alberta and Saskatchewan are also strong performers on the index.
In December, Alberta business confidence measured 73.6 on the index, while Saskatchewan came in at 72.2. Confidence lagged in Atlantic Canada, with P.E.I. and New Brunswick scoring 59.8 and Nova Scotia trailing the country at 55.6.
Jenny Wagler
@JennyWagler_BIV