Supporting Recovery, Innovation and Growth for People and Business

New legislation will remove regulatory roadblocks, cut red tape and support job creation

The COVID-19 pandemic reinforces the urgency of our work to modernize regulations, take processes online and tackle obstacles to growth and success. That’s why our PC government is taking action to make Ontario better for people and smarter for business as we continue down the road to recovery.

The Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2020, introduced today, would help drive the province’s economic recovery by removing regulatory roadblocks to help businesses thrive again and create good jobs and opportunities for Ontarians.

“The pandemic reinforces the urgency of our work to modernize regulations, take processes online and tackle obstacles to growth and success,” said Prabmeet Sarkaria, MPP for Brampton South and Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction. “Regulations that are easier to understand will allow people and businesses to spend time and resources on what really matters: regaining stability, creating good jobs and preparing for future opportunities that will help bring us out of this crisis stronger than ever before.”

If passed, the legislation would strengthen economic recovery, help businesses and government better adapt, and create the conditions for investment and prosperity over the long term by:   

• cutting costs on bus red tape to help businesses and people increase cash flow, invest in safety measures, and rebuild. 
• reducing unnecessary and duplicative requirements for private and public-sector businesses and organizations to save time and streamline how government works.  
• modernizing regulations and digitizing to increase innovation and prepare people and businesses for the opportunities of the future.  

This work builds on the regulatory measures Ontario has already taken to support the needs of frontline workers, businesses, and hardworking families, such as: 

• allowing restaurants to expand their licensed patio areas to support social distancing and small businesses.
• switching to off-peak time-of-use electricity rates
• making $10 billion available to improve cash flow

Modern regulations that are easier to understand and comply with would allow people and businesses to invest time and money in what’s important right now: recovering, rebuilding, and re-emerging from this crisis stronger than before. Continuing to improve Ontario’s regulatory framework is key to making Ontario work better for people and smarter for business in this recovery period and beyond.