71 Percent of Business Owners Feel Neglected by the Canadian Government

• Regus Survey Reveals That Canadian Entrepreneurs Still Feel Overlooked and Under-Supported by Government

DALLAS, Nov. 18 /CNW/ - Regus (http://www.regus.com/), the global provider of flexible workplace solutions, has surveyed the opinions of small and medium enterprise (SME) owners worldwide in order to take the pulse of the entrepreneurial sector and uncover how entrepreneurs feel about the level of support their national governments and institutions are providing. This bi-annual survey of over 5,000 entrepreneurs in 78 countries revealed that globally 75 percent of business owners are typically overlooked by government, with 71 percent of Canadian business owners responding that their interests are neglected.

74 percent of respondents globally and 62 percent in Canada declared that banks should be forced to lend more to entrepreneurial ventures and small businesses. 86 percent of entrepreneurs globally and in Canada also stated that government venture capital funds should be available to support entrepreneurs and their business initiatives, indicating that maintaining cash flow continues to be of concern for businesses. Further, 72 percent of respondents globally and almost half (49 percent) in Canada declared that legal penalties should be introduced for late payment of invoices.

Wes Lenci, Regus regional vice president for Canada, comments, "In spite of its massive importance to national economy, the small and medium enterprise segment continues to struggle to get its voice heard. In the aftermath of the global down turn, this key sector for the economy has had difficulties securing capital and maintaining cash flow.

"In particular, in Canada, where a reported 59 percent of businesses plan to invest in new machinery and 49 percent in new product offerings, access to credit will be vital to ensuring sustainable growth for the sector(1). Whether in the form of pressure on banks or providing venture capital funds, Canadian small and medium business owners feel that government needs to act more decisively to help them maintain their important role as key drivers of the economy."

The survey also asked entrepreneurs worldwide about their recent revenue and profit trends, along with their main concerns and causes of stress in the past years. These latter indicators form the basis for the report's Entrepreneurial Environment Index, reflecting entrepreneurs' feelings as to how easy it is to do business in their country. For Canada in particular, the global index revealed an above average rating of 114 points compared to the global average of 100.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/October2010/18/c3074.html

About Regus

Regus is the world's largest provider of workplace solutions, with products and services ranging from fully equipped offices to professional meeting rooms, business lounges and the world's largest network of video communication studios. Regus enables people to work their way, whether it's from home, on the road or from an office. Customers such as Google, GlaxoSmithKline, and Nokia join hundreds of thousands of growing small and medium businesses that benefit from outsourcing their office and workplace needs to Regus, allowing them to focus on their core activities.

Over 800,000 customers a day benefit from Regus facilities spread across a global footprint of 1,100 locations in 500 cities and 85 countries, which allow individuals and companies to work wherever, however and whenever they want to. Regus was founded in Brussels, Belgium in 1989, is headquartered in Luxembourg and listed on the London Stock Exchange. For more information please visit: www.regus.com

To download a copy of the full report please visit

http://www.regus.presscentre.com

For further information:

Press contacts:

Julia Gaynor
Affect Strategies
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