Canadian employers confident about business outlook: StatCan

March 31, 2025

As Canada’s tariff dispute with the United States continues, most employers across the country remain confident about their business outlook, according to a recent study.

Nearly three-quarters (73.1 per cent) of businesses report feeling very or somewhat optimistic about their future over the next 12 months, maintaining a steady confidence trend since mid-2024, reports Statistics Canada (StatCan).

The proportion of businesses reporting an optimistic outlook has consistently remained above 70 per cent since the second quarter of 2024, according to the report.

Meanwhile, 16.7 per cent of businesses expect their sales of goods and services to increase over the next three months, consistent with 16.6 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024. Businesses in retail trade (24.4 per cent), manufacturing (23.4 per cent), and arts, entertainment and recreation (19.8 per cent) lead the way in this area.

At the same time, 24.8 per cent of businesses expect to raise the prices of their goods and services over the next three months.

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