09:27 AM EST, 11/24/2025 (MT Newswires) -- With the Christmas shopping season kicking off this weekend, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on Canadians to choose local first.

One in three small businesses count on upcoming holiday sales, yet weak demand remains their biggest growth constraint, noted CFIB on Monday. Compared with last holiday season, one in five (20%) small firms expect lower sales revenue, while just over half (52%) expect sales to remain flat.

Small Business Saturday, presented by CFIB, is an annual celebration promoting shopping local at the start of the busy holiday shopping season.

CFIB's Monthly Business Barometer has shown a lack of consumer demand as the top barrier to small business growth for more than two years.