The Government of Alberta says red tape has been reduced by 27 per cent since 2019. (Photo: Lethbridge News Now)

By David Opinko/LethbridgeNewsNOW

Province claims red tape reduction has saved businesses $2.1 billion

Jan 30, 2023 | 12:22 PM

EDMONTON – The Government of Alberta says it is making good on its promise to reduce regulatory requirements for businesses.

As outlined in the province’s 2021-22 Red Tape Reduction Annual Report, more than 27 per cent of red tape measures have been eliminated in Alberta since 2019.

Minister of Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction Dale Nally says, because of the streamlining of regulations and government services, business owners have collectively saved $2.1 billion.

“We’re proud to be a national leader in cutting red tape because it cuts costs and improves outcomes for job creators, taxpayers and their families, supports economic growth and diversification, and delivers better government services for Albertans. That is a win for everyone,” says Nally.

The government says in a media release that it will continue to build on a “culture shift where all new initiatives are reviewed through a red tape lens,” and that regulations would only be added when necessary.

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According to the release, some of the key initiatives to reduce red tape in 2021-22 in Alberta include:

• Launching an online Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) tool to make the OHS Act, regulation and labour code available as a searchable document that allows workplace health and safety professionals to more easily identify and apply pertinent workplace rules.
• Passing legislation to establish a ‘regulatory sandbox’ for Alberta financial services and fintech companies to have a safe space where innovative products and services can be tested without immediately meeting all existing regulatory requirements.
• Launching the Women’s Hub, an online directory that provides a one-stop location to search for opportunities and government supports to help women succeed at work, at home and in the community.
• Accepting the use of digital signatures more widely across government ministries, allowing more program applications to be completed online.
• Making changes to the Municipal Government Act to support local economic development and small business growth by allowing municipalities to establish intermunicipal business licences.
• Updating legislation to give property owners the ability to return damage deposits and other documentation electronically to tenants, using modern methods such as e-transfer, when agreed to in writing by both the property owner and tenant.
• Shifting to multi-year funding agreements for programs including Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Service Networks and Family and Community Support Services – so service providers spend less time submitting and reporting on yearly grants and more time helping clients.
• Updating the Provincial Parks Act and the Public Lands Act to allow government to tailor public land use rules to specific regions, moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach so that Albertans accessing remote areas with limited public use are not required to follow unnecessary rules that are more appropriate for busier regions in Alberta.
• Amending the Gaming, Liquor and Cannabis Act to allow municipalities to establish entertainment districts through bylaws, allowing liquor to be consumed openly outside of a licensed establishment, giving Albertans and visitors more options to socialize in a responsible manner.
• Amending the Mineral Resource Development Act to give the Alberta Energy Regulator sole regulatory authority over mineral exploration and production in the province to create a more certain and regulatory environment for investors.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) gave Alberta the second-highest score in the country in its 2022 Provincial Red Tape Report Card, behind only Manitoba.

Alberta had an overall score of 8.8 out of 10 (A-), garnering a perfect score of 10 out of 10 for regulatory accountability (A) and seven out of 10 for regulatory burden (C).

CFIB Alberta Provincial Affairs Director Annie Dormuth says Alberta has been among Canada’s leaders for red tape reduction for several years.

“The formula for reducing red tape has three essential components: strong political leadership, measurement to ensure accountability, and a regulatory budget or reduction target,” says Dormuth. “The Alberta government has consistently included all three into its work on red tape reduction, which is reflected today with the release of the 2021-22 Red Tape Reduction Annual Report.”

Since 2019, the province says it has implemented more than 575 red tape reduction initiatives and 100 more are planned for 2023.