Halifax businesses see dip in optimism: report

Don Bureaux, CEO of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, talks about optimism and confidence among businesses.

Halifax businesses have a less optimistic outlook these days, according to a new report from the region’s Chamber of Commerce.

The report, which surveyed more than 280 Halifax businesses, asked respondents if they were optimistic about the next 12 months. Seventy-five per cent of businesses said they had a positive outlook, which is down by 10 percentage points from the previous survey in the last quarter of 2025.

The change brings Halifax businesses more in line with the national average.

Despite the dip, Don Bureaux, CEO and president of the Halifax Chamber of Commerce, says overall the business community is optimistic.

“That optimism goes up and down,” he told CTV News Atlantic’s Todd Battis. “We’re seeing significant economic potential in this region.”

In the report, businesses cited rising inflation, input and insurance costs, and employee recruitment are the biggest obstacles in the next three months.

“Our housing affordability, food scarcity, those are all concerns,” Bureaux said. “The antidote to that is creating prosperity in the community. That’s what we’re focused on as a chamber.

“Productivity in the entire country is something we need to work on. Nova Scotia can and must do better from a productivity point of view.”

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