Province Aims to Cut Red Tape

WINNIPEG, MB. – A new act is being introduced by the province that would reduce red tape as well as streamlining government services.

This proposed legislation would eliminate 399 existing regulatory requirements and 475 pending regulatory requirements that would affect local governments, non-profits, educational institutions, Crown corporations, provincial public servants, citizens and businesses.

Major changes would include:

providing Manitoba Public Insurance and Manitoba Infrastructure the ability to provide notices to drivers via email rather than only via registered mail;

harmonizing governance procedures for the College of Pharmacists of Manitoba with those of other regulated health professions as requested by the college;

eliminating pending requirements for snowmobiles to have licensing decals in addition to their licence plates;

setting public hearing thresholds for municipal capital borrowing request to ensure only loans with a material impact on a local government’s financial health need Manitoba Municipal Board hearings;

repealing legislation not yet proclaimed which relates to school sites in new developments; and

transferring authority to appoint auditors to several provincial agencies and boards from the Manitoba executive council to the minister of finance.

In total 44 statutes would be amended by the bill. Initial estimates indicate these streamlining efforts would save the provincial government nearly $1 million annually with millions more in reduced administrative burden for impacted citizens and individuals, Cullen said.

“Earlier this year Manitoba was recognized as the most improved province for reducing red tape and creating North America’s best regulatory accountability system,” Minister Cliff Cullen said. “This legislation builds on that record of success and continues on our mission to repair the services Manitobans rely on.”

With Files from the Provincial Government

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