The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) has released its annual report card, grading provinces on their efforts to cut red tape, and British Columbia is the only province to be given an "A" rating.

B.C. leads the country in cutting red tape, as it is the first province to enshrine in law the requirement to publish annual reports about regulatory reform, and since 2001, has reduced regulatory requirements by over 42 per cent.

The report card evaluates federal and provincial governments' progress on regulatory reform. It looks at political leadership, efforts to measure the regulatory burden, long-term thinking, and the overall public policy context. Provincial and territorial grades run the gamut from the A earned by British Columbia to D - assessments earned by other provinces and territories. The federal government earned a B+.

The B.C. government is also announcing its commitment to work with the CFIB to identify five priorities to cut additional red tape. Red tape is not always the result of regulations, and can often include overly complex forms or information that is too technical and difficult to understand. These irritants frustrate businesses and cause delays and misinterpretation that can be costly.

Over the coming months, the B.C. government will partner with CFIB to canvas the small-business community and identify these types of issues, and work with the business community to find solutions.

Quotes:

Minister of State for Small Business Naomi Yamamoto -

"The B.C. government is very proud to be recognized by CFIB for our continued commitment to cutting red tape. We know that this is an area where government can make a real difference for small business. That's also why we're not stopping, and are pleased to announce today a joint review with the CFIB to identify five priorities for continued red tape reduction that will have a positive impact on small business and the jobs they create."

CFIB Executive-Vice President Laura Jones -

"British Columbia is the only province that has demonstrated a sustained commitment to measuring red tape. Without this, there can be no accountability."

Quick Facts:

• Red tape is defined as burdensome, often unnecessary, government administrative processes and regulatory requirements.

• Regulatory requirements are defined as government imposed obligations, licenses and laws with which citizens and businesses must comply.

• In the past 10 years, the B.C. government has cut more than 150,000 regulatory requirements.

Learn More:

Visit the new Regulatory Reform BC website at: www.gov.bc.ca/regulatoryreform

Contact:

Media Relations
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 356-8177