Red Tape Reduction is about improving services for British Columbians and making it easier for people to interact with their government.

Through our ongoing conversation with British Columbians, we have received over 500 ideas about how to cut red tape and taken action on over 200 suggestions.

B.C. is a leader in reducing red tape. In 2017, the Province won the national Golden Scissors Award from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business for creating Red Tape Reduction Day. B.C. is one of only two provinces to ever receive an “A” grade for cutting red tape and B.C. has received this recognition for the past six years.

Facts:

• Since 2001, the Province has eliminated 157,000 regulations for citizens and small businesses, reducing the regulatory burden by 47%.
• To keep the regulatory burden low, B.C. introduced a Net Zero Increase Commitment in 2004 and committed to keeping it to 2019. This means keeping the overall number of provincial regulatory requirements below 2004 levels and in the event the cap is reached, removing a regulatory requirement when a new one is added.
• In 2016-17, the Province expects reductions in the regulatory requirements count of over 2,300. This means by April 1, 2017, the Province’s regulatory burden is expected to be 48% below the 2001 baseline.
• The Province launched the Help Cut Red Tape button on its homepage in March 2016 so British Columbians can send government their ideas about how to reduce red tape 24/7. The button itself was a suggestion submitted by a British Columbian.
• Through the button and the broader Reducing Red Tape for British Columbians engagement, government received over 500 ideas on how to reduce red tape and in March 2017, the Province had been able to action more than 200 of these ideas.
• Examples of completed actions to reduce red tape in B.C. include:
  • improving the online application process for special event permits – making it easier to get a liquor licence for a special event or wedding;
  • helping visitors and new British Columbians with a guide dog to enjoy the same rights as residents; and
  • allowing credit unions to send disclosure statements electronically which will streamline business processes for credit unions, increase efficiencies for consumers wanting electronic statements, and decrease costs associated with reducing mailing and recycling.
• B.C.’s online red tape reduction report card allows anyone to see how many ideas have been submitted during the engagement, and also how the input is being actioned by government.
• British Columbia is the only province that has an ongoing mechanism in place to gather ideas directly from the public about how to improve government programs and services.
• In 2017, on B.C.’s second annual Red Tape Reduction Day, the Province repealed over 50 outdated or unnecessary regulatory requirements and streamlined citizen interactions with government, such as amending the Motor Vehicle Act so parents are no longer required to accompany minors in person to the drivers licencing office to obtain a BCID.
• The Province has received international recognition for cutting red tape, and is seeing other jurisdictions from around the world, including Kentucky, Illinois and Japan, modelling their initiatives after British Columbia.