Canada’s red tape report card: Nova Scotia most improved province in Canada

Canada’s red tape report card: Nova Scotia most improved province in Canada

Progress made in the battle against unnecessary regulations

Halifax, January 24, 2017 – Today, during Red Tape Awareness Week™, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) issued its annual red tape report card, grading the provinces and territories on their commitment to red tape accountability. The report card looks at political leadership, public measurement, and constraints on regulations.

“Nova Scotia is showing the most improvement, in the least amount of time, of any government in Canada,” said Jordi Morgan, Vice-President Atlantic for CFIB. “We believe it’s an achievement deserving of recognition.”

Leading the way on red tape reduction are British Columbia and Quebec. Both provinces have shown strong leadership in dealing with red tape, have established a comprehensive measure of the regulatory burden, and have reduced or restricted the growth of unnecessary regulations but Nova Scotia is quickly closing the gap.

“BC has been working on reducing red tape for years and their grade reflects their long-term commitment and progress. Nova Scotia’s red tape grade has gone from a D- to a B since Red Tape Awareness Week in 2015,” Morgan added.

CFIB is asking governments to take the first step to being accountable by stepping on the red tape scale. “For Nova Scotia to get an A, measuring the burden is an essential next step, then setting hard targets for reduction and reporting regularly on progress,” Morgan explained. “Without getting on the scale, and looking at the number, it’s like trying to lose weight without first weighing yourself. You’ve got to have a reality check, set targets, and be accountable publicly on progress.”

Government red tape is a hidden tax that affects Canada’s small businesses much more than larger firms. According to CFIB’s latest research, the annual cost of all regulations on businesses in Canada is estimated at $37 billion per year, with one-third of that ($11 billion) considered to be red tape.

To arrange an interview with Jordi Morgan, please contact Ryan Richard at 902-420-1997 or ryan.richard@cfib.ca.

CFIB is Canada’s largest association of small- and medium-sized businesses with 109,000 members across every sector and region.