The Canadian Federation of Independent Business has reflected on 2019 and is looking ahead to 2020.

Director of the Prairie Region for CFIB Jonathan Alward says we saw Manitoba's small business optimism rise above the national average throughout the summer and fall months.

Director of the Prairie Region for CFIB Jonathan Alward.

Alward says Manitoba is more of a balanced province compared to our neighbours out west when it comes to optimism.

"You don't see these big dramatic swings, but at the same time, we need to make sure that we are continuing to grow the economy and let businesses set up to succeed because we do have more cost increases coming on the horizon," says Alward. "We need to make sure we're going to be strong."

Director of the Prairie Region for CFIB Jonathan AlwardCFIB reports small business optimism in Manitoba dropped for the second straight month in December after six straight months of increases. Alward says looking at how certain sectors closed 2019, it's not surprising.

"In agriculture, it was a very difficult fall for a lot of farmers, especially here in Manitoba," says Alward. "Transportation, the carbon-tax obviously isn't helping that and a lot of trade uncertainty isn't helping that. The resource sector, again, not surprising. These are obviously really key industries, not just in and of themselves in their direct employment, but a lot of their indirect employment."

In terms of 2020, Alward says the CFIB is cautiously optimistic. He points to an increase in Canada Pension Plan premiums and the expected increase of the carbon tax in April. Alward calls those significant costs and says the CFIB is concerned. However, there are reasons to be positive, too.

"Provincially though, we are starting to get the budget under control. We're nearing balanced budgets. There's hopefully some more tax relief coming, although not really a significant amount of tax relief in the short-term," says Alward. "That's one thing we're going to be pushing the provincial government to really look at, as we continue our pre-budget consultations leading up to March."

Alward says they will communicate to the government about the competitive challenges small business owners in Portage la Prairie and the rest of the province face and he hopes 2020 will be a strong year.