An illustration showing megaphone, "Fixed Cost Crunch" stamp, and bar chart on dark blue circular background. Simple line-drawn style graphic representing business cost pressures and data analysis.

My Fixed Cost Crunch details how retail rents (your local cafe/dry cleaner/maker studio) outpaced minimum wage increases in Toronto from 2019-2024.

Rent + insurance are killing good jobs & successful businesses in the city. But we can fix it.

Find out how - commercialrent.ca/fixed-cost-c...

A Canada Post truck drives down a busy city street flanked by tall buildings and trees. Text overlay reads: "WHY CANADIAN BUSINESSES NEED A REBUILT CANADA POST. Industry-best rate + country-wide service. Canada’s government has a choice – support small business or watch shipping rates jump – and businesses struggle to serve their customers." At the bottom is the BWA logo.

The back of a red Canada Post truck in traffic, framed by a soft, light-colored text box. The text reads: "WHY CANADIAN BUSINESSES NEED A REBUILT CANADA POST. 'Canada Post delivers to every address in Canada at the same rate. A business in Moose Jaw can compete nationally on the same terms as a business in Toronto. That’s not something private carriers offer – and it’s not something the market would provide on its own.'" BWA logo at the bottom.

Canada Post has seen better days but that doesn't mean we should axe it.

The carrier is one of Canada's greatest small business assets. Instead of privatization, let's invest and make it better.

Read the Business Case for Investing in Canada Post | betterwayalliance.ca/business-cas...

Most business owners want to create good jobs - but our biggest costs keep spiking.

Avg. retail rent in Toronto jumped from $19/sq ft to $49/sq ft between 2019 - 2024. That's a job, business and economy killer.

We need to get this under control so Canada's small businesses can invest in workers.

Infographic with cream background and navy blue header and footer. Header reads "ZERO LEASE PROTECTIONS = CONSTANT DISPLACEMENT" in navy text. Features a screenshot of a news article titled "'Truly heartbreaking,' Beloved Scarborough restaurant Lucky Lin's is closing after 30+ years" by Tyreike Reid, posted 4 days ago. Below is a photo of Lucky Lin's Restaurant storefront with red and yellow signage reading "LUCKY LIN'S RESTAURANT HOT ROTI & CURRY L.L.B.O." with blue-tinted windows. Caption notes the family-run restaurant on Finch Ave. E. will close in January after 30+ years. Bottom text reads "Lease protections. Access to capital. Fair commercial rent. BWA is making the case to every level of government in 2026." Footer shows Better Way Alliance (BWA) logo in yellow and white on navy background.

Infographic with cream background and navy blue header and footer. Header reads "ZERO LEASE PROTECTIONS = CONSTANT DISPLACEMENT" in navy text. Body text describes Lucky Lin's, a Guyanese-Chinese Scarborough restaurant closing after 34 years because their landlord chose not to renew the lease. Details include their location at 5563 Finch Ave. E. since 1991, signature Caribbean-style fried rice and deep-fried chicken, and that co-owner Mr. Ken is stepping away. Bottom text reads "Lease protections. Access to capital. Fair commercial rent. BWA is making the case to every level of government in 2026." Footer shows Better Way Alliance (BWA) logo in yellow and white on navy background.

Lucky Lin's in Scarborough closed after 34 years. Their landlord chose not to renew the lease.

In Canada, commercial tenants have zero protections. A landlord's decision can erase decades of work overnight.

We're working with all three levels of government to change this at commercialrent.ca

Youth unemployment is a crisis. Small biz wants to hire but costs keep rising.

70%+ of CDN businesses have <10 employees & face the same cost pressure as workers.

Good jobs policy IS small biz policy.

@votetanille.bsky.social @heathermcpherson.bsky.social @avilewis.ca @tonymcquailndp.bsky.social

BWA 2025 Gift Guide cover on evergreen background with text "Discover gifts from Canadian businesses creating good jobs & supporting strong local neighbourhoods across the country

Holiday gift guide featuring Downtown Comics (St. John's), Little Mushroom sustainable hosting guide (Cambridge), and Designs by Nature jewelry (Toronto) against evergreen background.

Holiday gift guide featuring Sparx Publishing's Circular Economy Magazine (Vancouver), Sugarmoon skincare balm (Ontario), and The Spaniel's Tale book subscription box (Ottawa) against evergreen background.

Holiday gift guide featuring Broadview Press classic literature box set (Peterborough), Bode Spa beard oil (Ottawa/Toronto), and Crank Coffee beans with mug (Canada-wide) against evergreen background.

Comics from St. John's. Literary mysteries from Ottawa. Small-batch skincare from Ontario.

BWA members do it right. They create good jobs, support workers & build community across Canada.

This holiday season, make your spending count.
Shop the BWA 2025 Market:
betterwayalliance.ca/bwa-2025-hol...

Wealth inequality is one of the greatest threats to a stable society.

Without a solid balance, local businesses & our workers suffer.

Great video by Bravos Research detailing what has happened historically under similar conditions to what Canada and the US are going through now.

Ontario's minimum wage went up on Oct 1.
Good for workers, good for small businesses.

What's actually killing biz?
Toronto retail rent jumped 142% in 5 years.
That's an extinction level increase.

Here's how we save good jobs and businesses: betterwayalliance.ca/the-fixed-co...

Infographic with dark background and teal border. Large yellow text asks 'What's really squeezing small businesses?' with 'squeezing' in red text. Below is an illustration of a hand gripping green dollar bills. White text states 'Our 5-year Toronto analysis shows that fixed costs - rent, insurance & utilities - are increasing far faster than minimum wages.' Bottom shows Better Way Alliance logo with tagline 'Where Good Business Grows' and yellow arrow.

Infographic showing 'Retail rent up 142% since 2019' in large yellow and red text. Contains two data visualizations: a year-over-year comparison chart showing decline from $19.54 in Q4/19 to $17.39 in Q1/20, and a commercial retail square footage chart comparing Q3/23 ($28.01) to Q3/24 ($47.21), showing 68.5% increase. Bottom text reads 'For a 1,000 sq. ft. space, that's +$27,670 extra/yr after 5 years.' Data credited to Toronto Regional Real Estate Board. Better Way Alliance branding at bottom.

I spent last month analyzing Toronto business costs to figure out what's actually squeezing small businesses.

Turns out commercial rent jumped 142% over 5 years while wages went up 23%. For a typical 3 employee micro-business, rent increases cost $1,540 MORE per year than wage increases.

👇👇👇

A constant hiring cycle b/c you can't retain staff is expensive & exhausting.

BWA Director Lili Locke breaks down our approach to ethical employment on TIAO's Forward Motion podcast: more than minimum wages, paid sick days, stable scheduling.

👂👂 to the full ep: www.tiaontario.ca/cpages/forwa...

Canada's Ethical Employer Network | Better Way Alliance Canada's Better Way Alliance supports business owners who care about community, good jobs, and sustainable growth. We are where good business grows.

We KNOW business can be done better.

Good jobs create resilient businesses - which in turn build thriving neighbourhoods.

We're empowering Canadian business owners who care about community. Join a network rooted in values, good ideas, and shared success.

betterwayalliance.ca

From nursing student to up and coming Calgary entrepreneur Despite studying to be a nurse, Bill Zheng wanted to help people on a larger scale, so he co-created RadiCare and the Pop-up Care Village, two organizations dedicated to helping at-risk individuals…

Bill Zheng isn’t a typical entrepreneur.
While studying nursing, he co-founded RadiCare. Creating jobs for folks facing barriers. Now it powers free Pop-Up Care in Calgary.

Business at its best.
calgaryjournal.ca/2025/04/15/from-nursing-...

A $100M fund is helping Indigenous communities buy local businesses across Canada.

Corner stores, auto shops, restaurants and more that already employ people.

This is economic development that really works. Skip the unicorn startups & focus on proven businesses with real cash flow.

Apps like Doordash and Ubereats are like casinos for businesses.

Exciting at first - but over time they manage to eat more of your $$$ and eventually become purely extractive.

Great to see @keldonb.bsky.social in this @cbcnews.ca article.

www.cbc.ca/news/busines...

Retailers are facing a fixed-cost crisis across Canada.

Skyrocketing rent, spiking insurance and uncontrolled utilities are hindering the ability to create good jobs and even keep the doors open.

We're hopeful that @toronto.ca and @jasonthorne.bsky.social can push for right-sized retail.

Yeah, it's the rent.

Businesses are getting bounced from main street because of giant rent increases.

So next time you go to your favourite sandwich joint and wonder "why did this delicious panini go up in price?"

Yeah, it's the rent.

Yeah, it's the rent.

Businesses are getting bounced from main street because of giant rent increases.

So next time you go to your favourite sandwich joint and wonder "why did this delicious panini go up in price?"

Yeah, it's the rent.

Screenshot of a CBC News article with the headline: “MEC back under Canadian ownership after 5 years of U.S. management.” The subheading mentions the previous sale to a U.S. equity firm being seen as a betrayal. Below, there’s a photo of an MEC storefront with green signage on a beige building.

MEC is back in Canadian hands.

It's not quite a co-op but the new ownership group has a "vision of reshoring some manufacturing to Canada."

Personally praying for the return of a co-op model down the road.

@cbcnews.ca | www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

A new Canadian study links precarious jobs to early death.

This isn’t just unfortunate - it’s the result of policy that allows low wages & unstable work.

BWA members are proving better jobs are possible & good for biz.

🔗 | betterwayalliance.ca/
In SafetyMag | www.thesafetymag.com/ca/topics/ps...

My business does better when my team isn’t burned out, broke, or sick.

It’s good business to:

- Pay people properly
- Give them PAID time to recover
- Provide predictable schedules

Do this & watch turnover drop while performance rises.
We’ve been doing it for years & it works!

Missouri court upholds voter approval of minimum wage and paid sick leave initiative The Missouri Supreme Court has upheld a voter-approved ballot measure gradually raising the state's minimum wage to $15 an hour and requiring employers to provide paid sick leave.

Biz costs like rent & insurance are in chaos right now - people are the only stable foundation left.

When workers have $$ to eat & recover from being sick - that business gets quality work & retention. Worker protections are economic infrastructure.

Read in @apnews.com | apnews.com/article/mini...

Missouri just voted in a $15/hr minimum wage and paid sick days.

Not just a win for workers — this is a win for smart business. Our Director @aaronbinder.com runs two businesses that already offer both.

What's the outcome? Lower turnover. Better customer experiences. Stronger teams.

1/2

Congrats to PM @mark-carney.bsky.social + all elected MPs. Our 3 priorities at the @betterwayalliance.bsky.social:

✅ Fix small biz financing so entrepreneurs can start, grow & buy businesses
✅ Create paths to commercial property ownership
✅ Get runaway "fixed" costs (rent & insurance) under control

Helllooooooooooo
👇👇👇👇👇👇

A social media post with a headline reading, “How an Ottawa Hospital Is Solving Space Challenges with Smarter Workplaces.” Below, a news article snippet says, “CHEO considers new ways to free beds, reduce hospital wait times,” mentioning Dr. Vera Etches. A smiling woman, arms crossed, stands in an office with a plant and an Ottawa Senators hockey jersey behind her.

An Ottawa (CHEO) hospital is using hybrid work to free up beds and support staff.

Good management finds new ways to stretch resources while building stronger long-term systems. In this case, flexibility is infrastructure, too.

Read in the @ottawacitizen.com | ottawacitizen.com/news/cheo-ve...

I spend maybe an hour a week on Instagram.

And lately half my feed is local Canadian businesses shutting their doors. Cafés. Bakeries. Small manufacturers.

Not because they weren’t making money - they’re just burnt out after 5 years of chaos and the last 6 months of being kicked again.

1/3

Minimum wage increases aren't causing Canadian businesses to close.

It's the giant rent hikes, skyrocketing insurance, and uncertainty caused by Trump tariffs.

We've got a plan that benefits workers, businesses & communities: betterwayalliance.ca/advantage-ca...

A Way Forward: Ontario Chamber of Commerce and Canadian Council for Indigenous Business Unveil Report Series on Economic Reconciliation

Indigenous leadership is essential to Canada’s economic future.

New report from OCC & CCIB shows how:

• Indigenous youth = up to 15% of the future labour force
• Skills-based hiring makes business stronger
• Flexible work is key to retention in remote communities

📘 Read it here: bit.ly/4jtILmQ

Screenshot of a Zoom meeting with 18 participants from various organizations, including MPPs, BIAs, and business leaders. Faces appear in video tiles, with names and affiliations like “Bloor-Yorkville BIA,” “Preservation House,” “The Cabbagetown BIA,” and “Better Way Alliance.” Smiling and engaged expressions suggest an active discussion.

We always have fruitful discussions with @kristynwongtam.bsky.social & @chrisgloverndp.bsky.social on the challenges and opportunities facing Toronto & Ontario businesses.

Read our ideas to build better through good jobs, biz owner support & systemic change: betterwayalliance.ca/advantage-ca...

The image shows a quote about US-Canada trade relations attributed to Eva Kuhle, CEO of Epaulet. The quote suggests that rising costs in the US and Canada have negatively impacted Kuhle's business in Canada, to the point that Canadians who "very reasonably hate the US" may boycott her remaining operations.

The image shows a photo of a woman standing in front of a blue wall and orange structure. She is wearing a gray top and blue blazer. Above the photo is a quote, presumably from the woman, stating "I'm the CEO of a clothing brand that makes 100% of our apparel in America. Trump's tariffs are too chaotic to help me." The quote is labeled as coming from "Business Insider

Trump's tariffs aren't actually helping US manufacturers.

But they are crushing border-city tourism businesses & stifling good businesses in Mexico, US & Canada.

One more reason for Canada to diversify + bolster our global trade.

@businessinsider.com | www.businessinsider.com/made-in-usa-...