TORONTO, Canada — The Ontario government introduced the Less Red Tape, Stronger Ontario Act which, if passed, would implement measures to increase Ontario’s competitiveness, strengthen provincial supply chains, and make government services easier to access and interact with.
“Our government is focused on making Ontario better for people and businesses by removing unnecessary, redundant, and outdated regulations that hold us back,” said Parm Gill, minister of red tape reduction. “With this fall’s Red Tape Reduction Package, we are taking actions to enable people to thrive and businesses to prosper.”
Ontario’s Fall 2022 Red Tape Reduction Package includes 28 initiatives that would help develop a strong, secure food supply chain from farm to fork, support Ontario’s farmers, food processors and agri-businesses, and attract and grow a strong labour force so Ontario can continue to be competitive in a global market.
Highlights of the package include:
- The Grow Ontario Strategy to increase production and consumption of food grown in the province by adopting new and innovative technologies.
- Removing legislative barriers to support greater investment in clean and emission reducing technologies.
- Providing more data and tools to municipalities to determine optimal Reduced Load Periods on roadways and improve supply chain efficiency.
- Increasing court capacity and efficiency to improve service, including the introduction of digital jury questionaries.
- Modernizing the Veterinarians Act, including identifying opportunities to streamline requirements or reduce compliance burden for vets and practice owners.
“Ontario’s agri-food sector has and always will be a cornerstone of the provincial economy and we need to invest in the supply chain, enable innovation and research, and grow the labour force,” said Lisa Thompson, minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs. “The introduction of this fall’s Red Tape Reduction Package includes concrete actions that will benefit farmers, processors and agri-businesses while outlining our government’s vision and goals for the province’s agri-food sector through the Grow Ontario Strategy.”
The Less Red Tape, Stronger Ontario Act builds on the government’s strong record of reducing red tape. Since 2018, the Ontario government has saved businesses $576 million in annual compliance costs through common sense changes such as the removal of licence plate renewal fees, extending liquor licences to outdoor patio spaces, and updating other regulations across government to make it easier and cheaper to comply with the rules. In total, Ontario’s regulatory burden on businesses and individuals has been reduced by 6.5 percent.
To continue this important work, the Ontario government is stepping up efforts to get people, businesses, and organizations across the province to share their best ideas for reducing red tape by relaunching the province’s Red Tape Reduction portal, available online.
“We know people and businesses who face red tape and regulatory barriers are in the best position to help us find lasting solutions to these challenges,” said minister Gill. “The Less Red Tape, Stronger Ontario Act takes meaningful action to eliminate overly complicated, duplicative, and unnecessary rules while maintaining important regulations that protect people’s health, safety, and the environment.”
