As a lead up to Small Business Month in October, the B.C. government and the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) are asking for input from the small business community to identify their top priorities for cutting red tape in the province.

This Friday, Sept. 27, Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business Naomi Yamamoto will co-host a noon-hour Twitter Town Hall with Laura Jones, CFIB executive vice president. The town hall is one way the Province is reaching out to small businesses to help identify challenges, cut red tape and improve access to government services. The town hall builds on the 10-year history of government working with CFIB in its efforts to grow the small-business sector in British Columbia.

During Red Tape Awareness Week in January of this year, the minister committed to a joint review with CFIB to identify five specific things government can do to reduce red tape. The aim of the Twitter Town Hall is to brainstorm ways to streamline, simplify and shorten processes that businesses have to undergo in order to comply with government requirements.

In addition to the Twitter Town Hall, government and CFIB will survey small business owners and other stakeholders to share their ideas on how to reduce red tape.

Feedback from the town hall and surveys will help inform the key red-tape reduction priorities for both government and CFIB.

Quotes:

Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business Naomi Yamamoto -

"The B.C. government is already leading the country in the fight against red tape, but we know there is more we can do to support small businesses in B.C. I strongly encourage British Columbians to join the conversation and share your ideas on how we can make it easier to do business here in B.C."

CFIB executive vice president Laura Jones -

"CFIB has given this government the highest marks for having been the first in Canada to measure regulations and red tape, and we are excited to work directly with government to identify the five ways they can reduce the regulatory burden on small business. Reaching out through Twitter means small business owners can share their ideas on how to help them grow their businesses and succeed."

Quick Facts:

• The Twitter Town Hall takes place Friday Sept. 27, 2013, from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.
• Twitter hash tags: #BCBizChat and #CFIBideas
• The B.C. government has successfully reduced red tape by over 42 per cent since 2001.
• Red tape is defined as burdensome, often unnecessary, government administrative processes and regulatory requirements.
• Regulatory requirements are defined as government-imposed obligations, licences 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.
• Moving forward, as a part of the B.C. Small Business Accord, the government is committing to establishing a 20 per cent increase in small business procurement from government. Greater access to procurement opportunities for small business will mean economic growth and job creation for residents and families of British Columbia.

Learn More:

For more information on the Cutting Red Tape for B.C. Small Businesses Twitter Town Hall, visit: www.bcjobsplan.ca/bcbizchat/

Canadian Federation of Independent Business: www.cfib-fcei.ca/english/index.html

Regulatory Reform B.C. website: www.gov.bc.ca/regulatoryreform

B.C. Small Business Accord: www.jtst.gov.bc.ca/sbaccord/

Small Business Doing Business with Government Project: www.jtst.gov.bc.ca/selltobcgov/index.htm

Contacts:

Media Relations
Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
250 387-2799

Kimball Kastelen
BC Policy Analyst, Canadian Federation of Independent Business
604 639-3468