ARCHIVED: Small Business and Red Tape Reduction
As part of the ongoing commitment to improve the way British Columbians access government services, the Province has already completed 40% of its commitments to cut red tape, following a public engagement last fall.
In the first three months since the release of the Red Tape Reduction Engagement Report, the Province has completed 25 actions. For example, the Province is implementing electronic payment options for Pharmacare and PST, launching an economic development website with a searchable database of more than 191 funding programs available to businesses and extending room-service hours for liquor service in hotels.
The Province is also streamlining processes to make it easier to access and simpler to use government services:
- Updated BC Economic Atlas: This improved online mapping tool identifies economic opportunities and supports business-case analysis and investment decision making. The atlas is now available on mobile devices in addition to all major modern browsers. Having easily-accessible data helps users find critical business information quickly and at no cost to them.
- Improved Request for Proposals (RFP): An updated template that is simpler and gives the option for email proposals in some circumstances. The new template is designed to make it easier for vendors to know what to include in their submissions and has a proponents’ guide with links to BC Bid Resources, a public website with information on the procurement process, including how submissions are evaluated.
The B.C. government has also created an online process to communicate back to British Columbians on how it is acting on their red tape reduction suggestions. Ideas submitted by British Columbians on how to reduce red tape, along with details on how the Province will address them, are listed and regularly updated on the Reducing Red Tape for British Columbians engagement website.
British Columbians can continue to submit their ideas to reduce red tape 24/7 through a new submission button on the provincial government’s homepage. Anyone with an idea for a fix to government rules, processes and forms can share their idea online now.
Quotes:
Coralee Oakes, Minister of Small Business, Red Tape Reduction and Responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch –
“We listened to British Columbians and we’re making the simple fixes they suggested – like simplifying forms like the Request for Proposals – to improve access to government services. I encourage everyone to get involved and submit their idea to reduce red tape through our suggestion button.”
Dale Wheeldon, president and CEO, BC Economic Development Association –
“Site selectors, location advisors and corporate executives depend on online data to help make investment decisions. The BC Economic Atlas puts B.C. in a very competitive position in the investment attraction arena. We are proving once again we are serious about our desire to highlight the potential that British Columbia offers.”
Quick Facts:
- Red tape is unnecessarily burdensome processes or regulatory requirements that make it difficult to access a program or service.
- On Red Tape Reduction Day, the Province committed to more than 60 actions based on British Columbians’ ideas. To date, the Province has completed 25 of the 60 actions outlined in the engagement report.
- In fall 2015, more than 5,900 people participated in the Province’s six-week online consultation on reducing red tape for British Columbians and shared more than 400 ideas.
- The B.C. government is a national leader in reducing red tape, receiving the top grade in Canada five years in a row from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.
- Launched in January 2015, the BC Economic Atlas is a hub for business and investment information, providing a picture of what’s happening with B.C.’s economy.
Learn More:
Share your idea now to #helpcutredtape: https://forms.gov.bc.ca/help-reduce-red-tape/
Check out the Province’s progress on British Columbian’s red tape reduction ideas: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/helpcutredtape/
Read the Province’s report on the public engagement to Reduce Red Tape for British Columbians: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/helpcutredtape/files/2016/03/Red-Tape-Reduction-Engagement-Report.pdf
To learn about the BC Economic Atlas: http://www.gov.bc.ca/economicatlas
For a proponents’ guide: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/government/services-for-government-and-broader-public-sector/buy-goods-services-and-construction/how-to-buy-services/proponents_guide_to_responding_to_rfps.pdf
Go to BC Bid Resources: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/services-for-government/bc-bid-resources
