Restaurants Canada congratulates Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and PEI on partnership to reduce red tape for business

CHARLOTTETOWN, Nov. 13, 2015 /CNW/ - Restaurants Canada congratulates the premiers of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island for launching a project to reduce red tape for business owners. The deal will reduce barriers for business and make it easier for businesses to operate in all three provinces. As these provinces cooperate to harmonize regulations, it will position the Maritime region for higher growth.

"This initiative is a step forward for the restaurant and foodservice industry, and opens the door to investment and job creation," says Luc Erjavec, Restaurants Canada's Atlantic Vice-President. "We welcome the way these premiers are showing leadership by working together for the benefit of small business."

The provinces have committed to make regulation a last resort, to measure the costs of any regulation, and to consult with stakeholders throughout the process. Progress will be monitored by an annual public report.

In the early stages of the program, the three provinces will:

• Use the same documents, where possible,
• Harmonize employment records, or at least recognize similar records, and
• Make future changes to minimum wages on the same day, April 1 (although they won't necessarily harmonize wages).

"Some of these changes may seem small, but they'll make a big difference to businesses operating in two or more provinces," says Erjavec. "We look forward to seeing even more reforms as the project expands."

Restaurants Canada is a growing community of 30,000 foodservice businesses, including restaurants, bars, caterers, institutions and suppliers. We connect our members from coast to coast, through services, research and advocacy for a strong and vibrant restaurant industry. Canada's restaurant industry directly employs 1.2 million Canadians, is the number one source of first jobs, and serves 18 million customers every day.

SOURCE Restaurants Canada

Media contact: Luc Erjavec, Vice President, Atlantic Canada, cell [phone] or [email protected]; Beth Pollock, Communications Specialist, 1-800-387-5649 ext. 4254, or [email protected]