TORONTO, March 29, 2016: Today, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) recognizes that the Government of Ontario is taking an important step towards addressing the cumulative burden facing Ontario businesses by announcing the implementation of a Red Tape Challenge. This online consultation tool will allow businesses across Ontario to identify and help eliminate regulatory duplication, lessen compliance burdens, and make it easier for businesses and citizens to interact with government. This online consultation process will focus on six sectors including: auto parts manufacturing, food processing, financial services, mining, chemical manufacturing and forestry.

“The OCC is pleased to see the Ontario Government taking steps to reduce the regulatory burden through the launch of the Red Tape Challenge,” said Allan O’Dette, President and CEO of the OCC. “Last summer, the OCC called on the Province to adopt a crowd-sourced approach to regulatory change, where the public could submit comments and suggest changes to the regulations that impact them. By seeking new opportunities to reduce the cumulative regulatory burden on businesses, we are helping to grow Ontario’s economy. It is encouraging to see the Province making burden reduction a priority.”

Reducing the regulatory burden is a foundational part of the Ontario Chamber Network’s ongoing advocacy work. Over the past five years, the OCC has focused on detailed recommendations on how the provincial government can address red tape and regulations that are hindering economic growth and development. Today’s initiative is an example of the OCC’s powerful advocacy work being directly reflected in the provincial government’s policies.

“The Chamber Network has made the elimination of red tape and burden reduction a priority, and today, the Government of Ontario is following through on its commitment made in the 2015 Fall Economic Statement,” said O’Dette. “This commitment, is the beginning of a process that will address the red tape burden that Ontario’s business community faces. There is certainly more that can be done, but this is an encouraging step towards alleviating unnecessary pressure on businesses, while helping to drive Ontario’s economy forward.”

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Learn more about the Ontario Chamber of Commerce.

Media Contact:

Rachel Strong
Senior Communications Advisor
Ontario Chamber of Commerce
T. 416.482.5222 ext. 2470
E: rachelstrong@occ.ca