According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business, nearly a quarter of businesses surveyed says they have been negatively affected by the ongoing illegal rail blockades. Another 48 per cent expect they will be impacted soon. Affected businesses report having lost an average of $60 thousand since the start of the blockades. CFIB president Dan Kelly says this is becoming a crisis. He says, “Many business owners across the country are telling us they have already had to suspend operations, lay off staff, or ration supplies. Kelly says businesses here are in danger of losing contractors to international competitors.

There is continued worry about how this will hurt reputations with clients going forward. 96 per cent of Saskatchewan businesses say they are worried about how the blockades will affect investor confidence. 97 per cent of respondents in the natural resources sector and 95 per cent in the Agriculture sector say they are concerned the blockades will affect investor confidence. According to the survey, small businesses in the four western provinces are being affected the most.