The Gallant Government’s hike in HST and corporate tax is going to be tough on corporate New Brunswick and retailers in this province according to Atlantic Director of the Retail Council of Canada Jim Cormier.
Cormier says the HST increase in particular really impacts the confidence of consumers to spend especially on bigger ticket items. He says this has a trickle down effect throughout the economy because retail is the number one private sector employer in New Brunswick and in the country.
Cormier says it’s not the government’s job to go out there and create jobs but they do need to create the conditions for that to happen, “and when your’e raising taxes it doesnt’ exactly give a vote of confidence to the small business owner or the large business owner to say yeah I’m going to take the risk and create more jobs, expand my business.”
He says retailers are taking notice of this budget.
