If you have fewer jobs created and less of a boost to the economy overall, then that effect naturally filters out,

There's no simple answer. We're certainly not going to be able to attract enough immigrants who can move in, buy a business and make a go of it, even though that's undoubtedly a partial solution.

It's a fairly permanent situation. You can always tough something out for a little while, but it's getting to the point that it's really factoring into people's medium to longer-term plans.

And the number one reason is fuel prices,

It's just not practical. Seventy-five per cent of businesses in this country have fewer than five employees.

The vacancy rate for the smallest companies---those with fewer than five employees---is four times that of the largest firms in the study.