BC – To close out Red Tape Awareness Week 2017, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) recently announced that Premier Christy Clark and Coralee Oakes, Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction for BC, have been named the winners of the Golden Scissors award for leadership and producing meaningful results in cutting red tape for small businesses.
In 2015, BC became the first jurisdiction in North America to legislate an annual Red Tape Reduction Day, dedicated to repealing outdated regulations and improving government customer service.
In advance of the first Red Tape Reduction Day, held March 2, 2016, the government conducted an extensive online consultation where more than 400 ideas were submitted from the public. Each idea was reviewed and many have been acted on. The suggestion button is now permanent and citizens can see the status of their suggestions and the provincial response to them.
As a result of Red Tape Reduction Day:
- The government repealed 37 onerous pieces of legislation;
- Over 215 regulatory requirements were removed;
- It now takes only 15 minutes to apply online for special occasion licenses to host parties or outdoor weddings, replacing an extensive amount of paperwork;
- Transitioning military personnel and retired veterans no longer need additional testing as they transfer their truck driving credentials to commercial licences; and
- British Columbians can now get information and assistance to register to be an organ donor at any of the 62 Service BC locations.
Crucially, the BC government has committed to following up on every idea submitted.
“Once again, the Golden Scissors Award has brought together an impressive list of finalists from across Canada. The exceptional leadership shown by Premier Clark and Minister Oakes is a clear example of government officials’ outstanding commitment to cutting red tape on small businesses,” said Laura Jones, Executive Vice-President at CFIB. “They are true red tape warriors deserving of this honour.”
The winners, chosen from among strong nominations from across the country, received a trophy, a framed certificate and recognition on the CFIB website, Facebook page and other small business publications.
Additional information on other finalists is available at the following link.
