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Media Relations

Ministry of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction
and Responsible for the Liquor Distribution Branch
778 678-1572

Backgrounders

Repealed Requirements Cut Red Tape for British Columbians

On March 1, 2017, the Province announced the repeal of over 50 unnecessary, outdated or duplicate provincial regulatory requirements as part of the annual Red Tape Reduction Day.

Simpler applications for guide and service dogs – Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Guide Dog and Service Dog Regulation – Guide Dog and Service Dog Act
Amendments to the Guide Dog and Service Dog Regulation simplify the application process for qualified professionals from other Canadian and US jurisdictions while maintaining the program’s integrity.

Electronic transmission of disclosure statements – Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Disclosure of the Cost of Consumer Credit Regulation – Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act changes to Part 5 – Prescribed Method of Service
Provincially-regulated lenders, particularly credit unions, will be able to use secure internet sites to send disclosure statements electronically. The proposed changes would streamline business processes for credit unions; increase efficiencies for business and consumers; and decrease costs by reducing mailing and recycling costs of using paper statements

Aligning helmet exemption – Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Motor Vehicle Act Regulation – Motor Vehicle Act
This regulation will be amended to align it with the Motor Vehicle Act that provides a helmet exemption for people of the Sikh religion with unshorn hair who wear turbans.  This change will reduce confusion, and ensure citizens are not subject to a fine for failing to meet the requirement.

AirCare Program – Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General
Motor Vehicle Act Regulation; Emission Inspection Exemption Regulation; Temporary Certification Regulation; Motor Vehicle Fees Regulation ; Exhaust Emission Standards Regulation – Motor Vehicle Act
The AirCare program was phased out in 2014. Repeal of the regulations related to this program as well as removing references to the program from the Motor Vehicle Act Regulations will remove obsolete provisions from B.C.’s laws.

Medical examinations for Driving Training Instructors – Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Motor Vehicle Act Regulation – Motor Vehicle Act
Amending the Motor Vehicle Act Regulation will eliminate the requirement for Driving Training Instructors (DTIs) to undergo a routine medical examination every two years. Going forward, DTIs will need to submit a medical examination only on initial application for a DTI licences, or if the DTI has let their licence lapse for 24 months. This change will save the approximately 3,600 DTIs time and money. Other systems are in place to ensure the medical fitness of DTIs, including medical reviews by the Superintendent of Motor Vehicles.

Parental consent for BC Identification Cards – Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Identification Card Regulation – Motor Vehicle Act
Repealing a section of the Identification Card Regulation will enable minors, 16 years of age and older, to obtain BC photo identification card (BCID) without having to bring a parent/guardian into the driver licencing office or Service BC. It is anticipated that removing the parental consent requirement for BCIDs will save customers and ICBC an average of 1.5 minutes per BCID application transaction, or approximately 180 hours annually (increasing efficiency), and aligning B.C. with Ontario and Saskatchewan.

Clarifying ‘mobile equipment’ – Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Motor Vehicle Act Regulation –Motor Vehicle Act
Prescribing boat haulers and similar equipment within the definition of ‘mobile equipment’ in the Motor Vehicle Act Regulation will eliminate the requirement for them to be registered, licensed and insured as motor vehicles by the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia. This change will enable citizens and businesses to insure boat haulers and other future similar devices privately, eliminating any potential gaps in insurance coverage.

Outdated regulation – Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure
Commuter Rail Operating Agreement Regulation – British Columbia Transit Act
Repealing outdated regulations as the underlying agreement has been terminated.

Redundant regulation – Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Angling and Scientific Collection Regulation – Wildlife Act
Elimination of four fees for services that are no longer required and for which no revenues are being collected.

Redundant regulation – Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Wildlife Act General Regulation – Wildlife Act
The requirement for people to surrender their hunter number card is repealed as the card can now be suspended electronically.

Redundant regulation – Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Violation Ticket Administration and Fines Regulation – Offence Act
The fine for failing to surrender a hunter number card is eliminated as the card can now be suspended electronically.

Removing a duplicate requirement – Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Hunting Licensing Regulation – Wildlife Act
A duplicate requirement to hold a hunting licence has been removed from the Wildlife Act to streamline and clarify the act.

Outdated references removed – Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training & Responsible for Labour
Employment Standards Regulation – Employment Standards Act
Streamlining the Employment Standards Regulation by eliminating references to institutions which are covered under existing statutes or have been transferred to another institution. Repealing this regulation keeps the body of B.C. regulations current and streamlined.

No longer applicable legislation – Ministry of Jobs, Tourism and Skills Training and Responsible for Labour
Coastal Forest Industry Dispute Settlement Act, 2003
B.C.’s legislation will be kept current by repealing the Coastal Forest Industry Dispute Settlement Act as it was outdated and no longer applies.

Obsolete regulations – Ministry of Agriculture
North American Gypsy Moth Eradication Regulation 2010; and North American Gypsy Moth Eradication Regulation 2015 – Plant Protection Act
These regulations are no longer required as the spraying program is complete.

Obsolete fees – Ministry of Environment
Park, Conservancy and Recreation Area Regulation – Park Act
Elimination of five fees that are no longer used due to legislative changes or a lack of demand, for example, digital copies have replaced photocopies.

Online applications for Medical Services Plan (MSP) – Ministry of Health
Medical and Health Care Services Regulation – Medicare Protection Act
Eligible B.C. residents will be able to enroll in MSP and apply for Premium Assistance online – making it easier for people to sign up and more efficient for government to administer. The online application forms will walk eligible applicants through the process and allow them to upload all necessary documents needed to complete enrolment. If desired or needed, B.C. residents will still be able to enroll using the existing hard copy forms.

Alignment of interest rate changes with other statutes – Ministry of Finance
Interest Rate Under Various Statutes Regulation – Taxation Rural (Area) Act
Having all interest rates change on the same date four times a year instead of three will make it more efficient for both provincial and local government tax administrators and consistent with most other tax statutes.

Gaming Control Act – Ministry of Finance
Gaming Control Regulation – Gaming Control Act
Provides clarity and streamlines the appeal process under the Gaming Control Act.

Duplicate requirements – Ministry of Finance
Taxation (Rural Area) Act Regulation – Taxation Rural (Area) Act
Farmers who produce seasonal crops and are unable to pay their property taxes by July 2 can apply for an extended tax deadline of Oct. 31. Once a farmer applies for this extension, it is automatically renewed each year. Since the automatic renewal of a farmer’s extension is now in the Act, it can be removed from the regulation.

Service fee no longer charged – Ministry of Finance
Taxation (Rural Area) Act Regulation – Taxation Rural (Area) Act
Given the ease and necessity of providing account information to taxpayers, the Property Taxation Branch no longer charges a fee for this service.

Obsolete references to collection districts – Ministry of Finance
Taxation (Rural Area) Collection Districts Order – Taxation Rural (Area) Act
Collection districts are no longer used to collect rural property taxes as they are now administered by the Surveyor of Taxes. As the term ‘collection district’ no longer has any use or meaning, repeal of this order will avoid confusion by property owners.

Fees and requirement no longer applicable – Ministry of Finance
School Tax Exemptions and Refunds (Approved and Eligible Hydroelectric Power Projects) – School Act
As these fees and requirements were only applicable in 2005, they are now removed from the regulation.

Redundant regulation – Ministry of Finance
Taxation Notices for 2015 Regulation – Taxation Rural (Area) Act
Only applicable to the 2015 tax year, this regulation is now redundant and can be repealed to keep the body of B.C. laws current and streamlined.

Outdated fee – Ministry of Finance
School Tax Administration Fee Regulation – School Act
Repeal of an out dated fee which is no longer collected.

Obsolete regulations – Ministry of Finance
Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulations – Property Transfer Tax Act
The fifteen regulations below are no longer required as all of the property transfers have occurred. Repealing these regulations keeps the body of B.C. regulations current and streamlined.

  • 443/94 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 6;
  • 93/99 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 7;
  • 360/2005 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 8;
  • 189/2006 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 9;
  • 328/2010 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 12;
  • 329/2010 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 13;
  • 56/2014 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 14;
  • 57/2014 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 15; 
  • 58/2014 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 16; 
  • 59/2014 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 17;
  • 87/2015 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 18;
  • 88/2015 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 19;
  • 89/2015 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 20;
  • 156/2015 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 21; and
  • 156/2015 – Property Transfer Tax Exemption Regulation No. 23.

Home Owner Grant – Ministry of Finance
Home Owner Grant Regulation – Home Owner Grant Act
Regulations for people with disabilities who are applying for a Home Owner Grant (HOG) will be simplified by updating the legislative framework and using language that reflects modern values and perspectives on disabilities. The disability provisions in the HOG Regulation will be aligned with the Employment and Assistance for Persons with Disabilities and BC Income Tax Acts.