Anyone who has waited on hold for hours while trying to navigate a phone tree or had to fill out pages upon pages of forms knows about red tape. Most people have dealt with this type of frustration, and there are countless stories of how difficult it can be to access information or register for a government service.

Stories like these are why the B.C. government is working hard to cut red tape and make government programs and services easier and faster to use. The Province is taking action to cut red tape and improve the everyday lives of British Columbians by doing things like:

• simplifying the application for hunting and fishing licences by moving the process online,
• allowing more types of businesses to apply for a liquor licence, opening up the possibility for new revenue streams and diversified services,
• improving food labelling and repealing 194 regulations to make those regulations easier to understand,
• launching an online adoption portal, which will help find forever homes for more foster children by eliminating burdensome paperwork and bringing all aspects of the adoption process online, and
• improving the way people can find information about land usage and moorages in B.C. by bringing the information online using a simple, user-friendly website.

“Reducing red tape is about making sure government programs and services are simple to access and work for the people they are designed to benefit,” said Coralee Oakes, Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. “I want to encourage everyone who has a story of frustrating red tape, or an idea to improve how people interact with government, to send them in through the Help Cut Red Tape button on the home page of the Province’s website. If you are finding a process too difficult to navigate or a service too difficult to use, chances are that someone else is too. Help make a difference by sending us your ideas.”

British Columbians who use government services and programs are the people who know first-hand where the red tape needs to be cut. That’s why, on Red Tape Reduction Day (https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2016SBRT0011-000315) this year, the Province launched a suggestion button (https://forms.gov.bc.ca/help-reduce-red-tape/) on the front page of the Province’s website so that anyone can submit their idea about how to cut red tape 24 hours a day 365 days a year. All ideas are considered by the policy makers in government who are responsible for these programs and services. Every single idea is reviewed and looked at closely to determine whether that input can be turned into action. Plus, every idea submitter receives a summary about how their idea has been assessed, and anyone can track the general status of their suggestion using the ideas tracker. (https://engage.gov.bc.ca/helpcutredtape/)

“It’s good to see the idea I submitted regarding the Natural Resource Sector Online Services website has been put to good use,” said Arlene Peniuk, who submitted her idea directly to government in 2015. “The new online resource (https://portal.nrs.gov.bc.ca/web/client/home) will make it simpler to find information regarding natural resources and find moorages here in B.C.”

The Province has received over 450 ideas from British Columbians following the 2015 public engagement and via the submission budget, and is already committed to turning over 150 of those ideas into reality.

Helen Darbyshire, from Surrey, suggested improving the Medical Service Plan phone tree to make it easier to find information regarding MSP coverage. This idea was actioned and is expected to be completed in the spring of 2017.

“As a British Columbian, I am happy the government is redesigning the 1-800 phone lines so calls made to Health Insurance BC (service provider of MSP) can be answered more efficiently. I feel this will reduce the wait time – and the stress – when seeking answers to questions concerning the MSP.”

Also in 2016, the Province committed to extending its ‘net-zero’ policy to 2019. ‘Net-zero’ is removing a regulatory requirement when one is added. The Province introduced the net zero increase commitment in 2004 to help keep B.C.’s regulatory burden low. Since 2001, the Province has reduced the regulatory burden for citizens and small businesses by 47% and completed hundreds of streamlining initiatives to reduce red tape. Keeping the regulatory count low makes B.C.’s regulatory environment simpler to navigate and puts a focus on making new laws that are streamlined and easy to understand.

“The momentum the B.C. government continues to generate on the red tape file is commendable”; said Canadian Federation of Independent Business’ Laura Jones, executive vice president and chief strategic officer. “B.C.’s efforts to reduce red tape are being recognized internationally and it is the only government to receive five consecutive A grades from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business.”

Quick Facts:

• B.C. is the only province to receive an “A” grade from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business for its work to reduce red tape, and B.C. has received this grade for the last five years in a row.
• B.C. has received international recognition for cutting red tape and is seeing other jurisdictions from around the world such as Kentucky, Illinois and Japan modelling their initiatives based on what the province has been able to achieve.

Learn More:

Submit an idea to cut red tape in B.C.: https://forms.gov.bc.ca/help-reduce-red-tape/

Red Tape Reduction report card: https://engage.gov.bc.ca/helpcutredtape/

Red tape reduction in B.C.: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/governments/about-the-bc-government/regulatory-reform