Article content

A new poll of small business owners suggests their views about the proposed tax changes are less hostile than the political debate would suggest — but the potential change to passive investment income provokes the most concern, with 55 per cent calling it unfair and 42 per cent saying it will hurt their business.

Meanwhile, a large majority (63 per cent) say the proposed income sprinkling changes would have no impact on their business. Even so, 44 per cent say it’s an unfair change.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Poll shows entrepreneurs are split on proposed tax changes, but passive income is biggest worry Back to video

The proposed tax reforms, unveiled this summer, have sparked a firestorm of opposition from business lobby groups and Conservative MPs. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau insists the proposals would simply stop the wealthy from getting unfair tax breaks by diverting money through private corporations, but opponents argue there are unintended impacts that will hit all small business owners, wealthy or not.

The Angus Reid Institute’s poll of 852 small business owners shows a more nuanced reaction. Overall, most of them think the proposed changes are unfair, but they are much more open to the crackdown on income sprinkling than they are on passive income.