[ Backgrounder ]
For immediate release
October 28, 2005
Ottawa - Reg Alcock, President of the Treasury
Board, today delivered on the Government of Canada's commitment to report
regularly on the progress of Smart Regulation initiatives by releasing the
second Smart Regulation Report on Actions and Plans.
The second edition of the Report on Actions and Plans provides
information on progress made on regulatory renewal in Canada, including updates
on some 40 key initiatives introduced in the Spring 2005 edition, as well as 32 new initiatives. In order to provide transparency, this report indicates both
where progress has been made and the few areas where delay has been experienced.
The report also describes work underway to improve regulatory management
throughout the federal government; current and planned activities in the key
area of regulatory co-operation and coordination; and the role of citizens and
stakeholders in helping to shape regulatory reform.
"In the short time since we launched Smart Regulation, in March 2005, we
have made early strides and I am proud of the progress that has been
accomplished. Yet much more work remains to be done. We are fully
committed to this ongoing initiative to build a robust regulatory system that is
more responsive and relevant to the needs of Canadians," said Minister
Alcock.
Progress has been made on initiatives such as the Therapeutics Access
Strategy where the review backlog for pharmaceuticals has been eliminated and
review times substantially improved. In fact, between January and September 2005, 58 percent of submissions were reviewed within time targets, up from 13 percent in 2003. Health Canada expects to reach the international threshold of
90 percent by March 2006. Another progressive initiative, BizPal, will allow 233 different types of businesses to access all municipal, provincial and federal
permit requirements through one Internet site, saving time and money for
clients. The pilot project partners are the provinces of British Columbia and
Ontario, the Yukon Territory, the region of Halton, and the municipalities of
Kamloops and Whitehorse.
New departmental initiatives are presented in the report as well, including
aproposed legislative initiative that would support First Nations involved in
major commercial and industrial projects by developing a regulatory framework to
strengthen economic development on reserve. In another new initiative,
four sector sustainability tables (forests, mining, energy and chemicals) have
been created to bring stakeholders together to provide informed advice on how to
improve environmental performance in a way that supports long-term
competitiveness.
"The government is committed to the continuous improvement of public
sector management and Smart Regulation is an integral part of this agenda.
The ongoing involvement of citizens and stakeholders is key to achieving success
in reforming our regulatory system and creating smart regulations, " concluded Minister
Alcock.
The Report on Actions and Plans and regular updates are available on
the Smart Regulation Web site at www.regulation.gc.ca
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For more information, contact:
Lise Jolicoeur
Press Secretary
Office of the President of the Treasury Board of Canada and
Minister responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board
(613) 957-2666
If there is a discrepancy between any printed version and the electronic
version of this news release, the electronic version will prevail
TTY (Telecommunications device for the hearing impaired) - (613) 957-9090
Backgrounder
Regulatory Reform in Canada
Regulation, in its broadest sense, is a principle, rule, or condition that
governs the behaviour of citizens and enterprises. Regulation is used by
governments, in combination with other instruments, such as voluntary standards
and taxation, to achieve public policy objectives. Regulation protects our
health, safety and the environment and it plays a role in virtually every aspect
of our lives: the products and services we use, the medication we consume, and
the food we eat.
On March 24, 2005, the President of the Treasury Board announced Smart
Regulation and launched a new Web site dedicated to regulatory renewal (www.regulation.gc.ca).
Smart Regulation is aimed at improving the Government of Canada's regulatory
system so that it can keep pace with today's realities and our evolving needs.
This means building a regulatory system that is more effective in safeguarding
the health and safety of all Canadians, ensuring a clean and sustainable
environment, and creating the conditions for an innovative and competitive
economy. In meeting these goals, Smart Regulation recognizes the interdependence
of social, environmental, and economic objectives. It strives for a better
coordinated system that remains forward-thinking, progressive and accountable to
the citizens it serves.
Smart Regulation is based on public desire for high standards and
transparency in regulation, combined with the advice provided by the
Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), and the
recommendations of both the Auditor General and the External Advisory Committee
on Smart Regulation (EACSR), which released its report, Smart Regulation: A
Regulatory Strategy for Canada, on September 23, 2004. Smart Regulation is
an integral part of the Government of Canada's management agenda and advances
objectives that the government has set in recent public policy documents, in
particular, Strengthening and Modernizing Public Sector Management,
Budget 2005, as well as Management in the Government of Canada: A
Commitment to Continuous Improvement.
To achieve Smart Regulation goals, the Government is working to:
strengthen regulatory management through the development of a new policy
and tools;
improve co-ordination on regulation across the federal government, and
cooperation with other jurisdictions in Canada and internationally and;
implement principles of Smart Regulation through departmental initiatives
in areas such as health, environmental sustainability, safety and security,
Aboriginal prosperity and northern development, and business innovation and
productivity.
This initiative is a collaborative effort of all federal regulatory
departments and agencies. Regulatory renewal also involves the other levels of
government—provincial, territorial, municipal and Aboriginal—that together
shape Canada's regulatory system.
Smart Regulation is an ongoing, multi-year plan aimed at continuous
improvement in regulatory decision-making. As opposed to a one-time project with
a defined beginning and end, it is a means for government to better and more
co-operatively assess our regulatory needs and continuously improve the process
by which regulations are planned, developed, implemented and reviewed.
The first Report on Actions and
Plans, published in March 2005,
provided information on a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the
Government's regulatory management capacity.
The second edition, published on October 28, 2005, provides information on
progress made on some 40 key initiatives introduced in the first report as well
as 32 new initiatives. The report also describes plans for improving
regulatory management throughout the federal government; current and planned
activities in the key area of regulatory co-operation and coordination; and the
role of citizens and stakeholders in helping to shape regulatory reform.
The third edition of the Report on Actions and Plans is expected in
late spring 2006.
In addition, ongoing Smart Regulation updates are available on the Web site
at www.regulation.gc.ca.
