KITCHENER, Ontario, April 9, 2009 — Starting and running a business in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, the cities of Kitchener and Cambridge, and the Township of Wellesley, Ontario, has just become easier thanks to BizPaL, a new online business permit and licence service that saves time spent on paperwork and helps entrepreneurs start up faster.
Today, Harold Albrecht, Member of Parliament for Kitchener–Conestoga, Peter Braid, Member of Parliament for Kitchener–Waterloo, and Stephen Woodworth, Member of Parliament for Kitchener Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, together with officials from the Province of Ontario, Ken Seiling, Chair of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Doug Craig, Mayor of Cambridge, Carl Zehr, Mayor of Kitchener, and Ross Kelterborn, Mayor of the Township of Wellesley, welcomed the launch of BizPaL at an event in Kitchener.
BizPaL is an innovative service that provides entrepreneurs with simplified access to the information on permits and licences they need to establish and run their businesses. This unique partnership among federal, provincial, territorial, regional and local governments is designed to cut through the paperwork burden and red tape that small business owners encounter. The BizPaL service in these cities was developed by the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, the City of Kitchener, the City of Cambridge, the Township of Wellesley, the Province of Ontario and the Government of Canada.
“Reducing the paperwork burden makes things easier on small businesses,” said the Honourable Gary Goodyear, Minister of State (Science and Technology), and Member of Parliament for Cambridge. “BizPaL demonstrates our commitment to a competitive business environment that supports innovation and reduces red tape, as well as our commitment to cooperating with all levels of government to help small businesses grow.”
“BizPaL is part of our government's economic plan to support innovation and cut red tape,” said Mr. Albrecht. “At a time of global economic uncertainty, we need to do everything we can to help Canadian businesses, especially small businesses, which create so many of our new jobs. BizPaL is a simple, cost-effective way to provide that kind of practical help.”
“BizPaL will make it easier for people in Waterloo, Kitchener, Wellesley and Cambridge to get the licences and permits they need to start up and grow their businesses,” said Mr. Braid. “The Government of Canada is working hard with provincial and municipal governments to provide the best possible service for small businesses.”
“Reducing the paperwork burden makes things easier on small businesses,” said Mr. Woodworth. “The Government of Canada is implementing measures that support innovation and cut red tape for Canadian small businesses.”
“The ideas and initiatives of entrepreneurs help strengthen an economy,” said the Honourable Ted McMeekin, Ontario's Minister of Government Services. “BizPaL is one way for our government to support entrepreneurs by making it easier for them to get the permits they need to get their businesses up and running.”
“This has been a great exercise in collaboration by all levels of government,” said Regional Chair Seiling. “By providing one coordinated online source of information, BizPaL will assist anyone wishing to set up shop in the participating communities within Waterloo Region.”
“The BizPaL area of our website has been very active. Since we first introduced the link, traffic has climbed and we have seen over 1000 hits. This demonstrates the growing interest from aspiring entrepreneurs and the convenience of a one-stop area for custom information about establishing a business in Cambridge,” said Mayor Craig. “The BizPaL partnership simplifies the business and licensing process that supports business creation.”
“This will be a great service for new business owners,” said Mayor Zehr. “They'll be able to find the licensing requirements for every level of government in one place, online. It is efficient, one-stop shopping.”
“Particularly during the current economic conditions, this one-window portal to access information will serve to assist people who are looking to begin and/or expand business in the Township of Wellesley,” said Mayor Kelterborn. “This initiative has been a successful, collaborative effort with area municipalities and the Region of Waterloo. I would like to commend Harold Albrecht for promoting local participation in this program, and ServiceOntario, for its continued assistance in making it possible for us to launch this initiative today.”
Area business owners and entrepreneurs in these communities can access the service by visiting www.region.waterloo.on.ca/bizpal, www.kitchener.ca/working_kitchener/bizpal.html, www.cambridge.ca/city_clerk/bizpal, www.township.wellesley.on.ca/permits.htm, or www.serviceontario.ca/bizpal. The Province is looking forward to expanding BizPaL to other areas of Ontario over the next year.
Visit bizpal.ca for additional information and access to the websites of participating partners.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Catherine Godbout
Office of the Honourable Diane Ablonczy
Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism)
613-947-5856
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
Ciaran Ganley
Manager
Issues Management and Media Relations
Province of Ontario
416-325-8659
647-218-8659 (cell)
Bryan Stortz
Director, Corporate Communications
Region of Waterloo
519-575-4408
stbryan@region.waterloo.on.ca
Patricia Harris
Manager of Licensing
City of Kitchener
519-741-2854
patricia.harris@kitchener.ca
Linda Fegan
Director, Corporate Communications and Marketing
City of Cambridge
519-740-4683 ext. 4623
feganl@cambridge.ca
Grace Kosch
Deputy Clerk
Township of Wellesley
519-699-4611
gkosch@township.wellesley.on.ca
BizPaL is an online service that benefits Canadian businesses by helping them identify which permits and licences they require and how to obtain them. Entrepreneurs simply answer a series of questions on the type of business they want to start or expand and the activities they plan to undertake. BizPaL then automatically generates a list of all required permits and licences from all levels of government, along with basic information on each, and links to government sites where the entrepreneur can learn more and, in some cases, apply online.
BizPaL also benefits governments by making it easier for them to provide accurate information on permits and licences to business. Although the service is offered online, it can also be used through other service channels (i.e., telephone and in-person centres) to extend services to more clients.
To date, 11 provinces and territories are participating in BizPaL, with more than 270 municipalities offering the service. Visit bizpal.ca for a complete list of participating jurisdictions.
Industry Canada is the lead federal department for the BizPaL initiative, supporting the centralized functions of the project. The Government of Canada is fully committed to creating a competitive business environment that supports innovation and reduces red tape. BizPaL is a complementary measure in the government's success in reducing the paperwork burden on small businesses by 20 percent.
The success of BizPaL is due in part to the multi-jurisdictional partnership among federal, provincial, territorial, regional and local governments. The partnership operates under a shared governance and costing model with collaborative decision making. Each jurisdiction is responsible for adding and maintaining its own information in BizPaL. ServiceOntario, part of Ontario's Ministry of Government Services, is entrusted with engaging local governments to make this important service available across Ontario.
This interactive, smart permit and licence tool is featured at www.region.waterloo.on.ca/bizpal, www.kitchener.ca/working_kitchener/bizpal.html, www.cambridge.ca/city_clerk/bizpal, and www.township.wellesley.on.ca/permits.htm.
