Alberta’s government joined Quebec and Manitoba in being awarded the 2020 Golden Scissors by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business – part of the 11th annual Red Tape Awareness Week.
“This year’s Golden Scissors winners show how much governments can accomplish when they listen. Manitoba has modernized the way it does business in a big way, while Alberta is acting swiftly on direct red tape feedback from local small business owners and Albertans,” said Laura Jones, Executive Vice-President at CFIB, on Thursday.
“As for Quebec, they were on our list for worst regulation in the country just last year, and they took the criticism to heart and fixed the issue. This is the kind of transparency and accountability from our governments that Canadians deserve.
“Cutting red tape isn’t sexy and it often goes unnoticed. We want to change that and recognize the good work that is being done across the country.”
The CFIB said it recognized Alberta Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction Grant Hunter, who directs the province’s list of red tape initiatives and invites citizens and businesses to submit their red tape headaches to the Cut Red Tape website to be reviewed and addressed.
Also recognized were:
- Quebec’s Minister of Public Security, Geneviève Guilbault, for eliminating Quebec’s redundant permit requirements for bowling alleys and amusement equipment in response to receiving a Paperweight “Award” in 2019; and
- The Government of Manitoba (represented by Premier Brian Pallister), for their major overhaul of government systems, increasing accountability and transparency for citizens and breaking down silos between government departments.
CFIB also awarded two Golden Scissors honourable mentions:
- Ontario Deputy Minister, Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Giles Gherson and the Business Relief Unit, which investigates red tape issues submitted to its “Cutting Red Tape” web portal and works directly with lawmakers to address them; and
- Saskatchewan Minister of Trade and Export Development Jeremy Harrison, for creating a “Help Cut Red Tape” web portal that lets business owners fast-track their red tape concerns.
Earlier in the week the CFIB released its annual Red Tape Report Card which showed that Alberta went from an F last year to a B- this year. The province had registered an F for three consecutive years.
“The government was newly elected in April 2019 and has begun to make red tape reduction a priority. The public has also been asked for their feedback on red tape, which they are able to submit through an online web submission form, found at cutredtape.ca. Through this portal, over 3,900 submissions have been received. A total of 60 red tape initiatives have been completed since the beginning of the mandate,” said the report on Alberta’s efforts to cut red tape under the leadership of Premier Jason Kenney.
Mario Toneguzzi is a business reporter in Calgary.
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