Ontario scores B- on regulatory reform

National Red Tape Report Card

TORONTO, Jan. 17, 2012 /CNW/ - Ontario is making progress on being accountable for the 386,251 regulatory requirements it places on individuals and businesses, according to research released today by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).

On day two of Red Tape Awareness Week™, the CFIB issued its annual Red Tape Report Card. The report card evaluates the federal and provincial governments' performance in the following areas:  political leadership, measuring the burden and constraints on regulators.

"For making progress in most of these areas, Ontario deserves a B- for their performance - a big improvement over the C- they got in 2011," said Satinder Chera, CFIB's vice president for Ontario.

CFIB has long championed regulatory reform and estimates that government red tape costs Ontario businesses a staggering $11 billion each year; costs that are ultimately borne by consumers through higher prices for goods and services.

While Ontario is moving in the right direction with its red tape reforms, a lot of work remains to cut the red tape beast down to size. "The on-going proliferation of regulations from the Ministry of Labour and the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) isn't helping," said Chera.

To further improve its position on red tape accountability, Ontario must do the following in 2012:

• Deliver on Premier McGuinty's pre-election promise to small business on red tape by making Labour and WSIB regulations a focus for reform;
• Build on Premier McGuinty's previous commitment to reduce the regulatory burden on small business by 25 per cent by 2011 - commit to a new target;
• Continue to measure and publicly report on the number of regulatory requirements; and,
• Legislate the requirement to publicly report the number of regulations.

The table below displays the grades from 2011 and the new 2012 rankings.

What does 'Red Tape' mean to you? Check out CFIB's video on what it looks like to one small business owner in Ottawa, Ontario: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SSx8zLr5Y3k

Red Tape Awareness Week™, conducted annually, is trade-marked by the CFIB.

As Canada's largest association of small- and medium-sized businesses, CFIB is Powered by Entrepreneurs™. Established in 1971, CFIB takes direction from more than 108,000 members in every sector nationwide, giving independent business a strong and influential voice at all levels of government and helping to grow the economy.

	2011 Grade		2012 Grade
British Columbia	B+		A
Newfoundland & Labrador	B		B
Federal government	C+		B-
Quebec	C+		B-
Saskatchewan	C+		B-
Ontario	C-		B-
New Brunswick	C-		C+
Nova Scotia	B		D
Alberta	F		D
Yukon	F		D
Manitoba	F		F
Prince Edward Island	D		F
Northwest Territories	F		F

 

To arrange an interview with Satinder Chera, call Gisele Lumsden at 416 222-8022 or email [email protected]