Nova Scotia gets a ‘D’ on regulatory reform
As part of its third annual Red Tape Awareness Week, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) released its annual Red Tape Report Card today. Nova Scotia's grade took the biggest tumble, dropping from last year's 'B' grade to a disappointing 'D'.
The report card evaluates federal and provincial governments' progress to date on regulatory reform. It looks at measurement, political leadership, constraints on regulators and a permanent commitment to report. "Without a commitment in these areas, red tape initiatives are doomed to fail," said Leanne Hachey, Vice President for Atlantic Canada.
In the past, Nova Scotia was a leader in red tape reform, successfully meeting its four-year commitment to reduce the paperwork burden by 20 per cent in 2010.
"We were incredibly pleased and proud of the leadership Nova Scotia had shown," Hachey shared, adding "it was held up as an example across the country."
For the past year, government stopped its paper burden measure, nor has it publicly reported the red tape burden. It also introduced a series of onerous and questionable regulations last year, including First Contract Arbitration, the Tanning Beds Act, scrap metal legislation, the ski helmet law, and the one-meter rule required between cars and bikes.
"The last year shows how quickly progress can be eroded without a meaningful, ongoing commitment to measure and report the red tape burden," Hachey said.
Hachey said cutting red tape is one of the best, low-cost stimulus measures governments can take and is hopeful the recently announced Better Business plan will get us back on track.
What does 'Red Tape' mean to you? Check out CFIB's video on what it looks like to one small business owner in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia: http://youtu.be/TcQ-sT-wsuU
For further information contact Leanne Hachey at (902) 420-1997.
As Canada's largest association of small- and medium-sized businesses, CFIB is Powered by EntrepreneursTM. Established in 1971, CFIB takes direction from more than 108,000 members in every sector nationwide, giving independent business a strong and influential voice at all levels of government and helping to grow the economy.
