February 22, 2011
Manitoba Cuts Red Tape with Launch of More Single-window Access for Business Information and Services
– – –New Manitoba Business Gateway Site in St. Boniface will Boost Economic Development: Bjornson
Manitobais moving forward on reducing government red tape by providing more access to business information and services, Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade Minister Peter Bjornson said today, while opening a new Manitoba Business Gateway site in St. Boniface.
“To support entrepreneurs and businesses as they become more innovative and competitive, we have been establishing Manitoba Business Gateways in Bilingual Service Centres in several urban and rural locations including here in St. Boniface,” said Bjornson. “We already have a site in Brandon and we plan to soon be in St. Vital, St. Laurent, Notre Dame de Lourdes and St. Pierre-Jolys.”
The Manitoba Business Gateway provides single-window access and referrals to a wide array of business and employment information and services including business starts, licences and permits, financial programs, business planning, recruiting, training and managing employees, business expansion and growth, exporting and more.
“As a small business owner and president of the St. Boniface Chamber of Commerce, I am pleased to see this business gateway site being set up, providing additional access to programs, services and information in both French and English to entrepreneurs in this region,” said Michele Lecuyer.
The Bilingual Service Centres are a federal-provincial partnership that provides a wide range of bilingual government services while promoting the active offer of services in the French language. Bilingual support will also be provided for other Manitoba Business Gateway sites including Brandon, delivering a cost-effective way to provide business services in French in other areas of the province.
The Manitoba Business Gateways will build upon services already provided by the Bilingual Service Centres and will provide the centres’ specialized staff with additional knowledge and tools to help entrepreneurs and employers cut red tape and become more successful and competitive, Bjornson said.
Additionally, the establishment of Manitoba Business Gateway sites within the Bilingual Service Centres will provide increased access to French-language services including for entrepreneurs who have recently immigrated to Manitoba.
“We are encouraged the overall costto business for complying with regulations has gone down since 2005 in Manitoba,” said Bjornson. “However, we know businesses are concerned about the impact of red tape and we will continue to identify and implement measures to support businesses and help reduce their costs.”
The Manitoba Business Gateways will also provide businesses with improved access to the province’s growing list of online services including the Manitoba Business Portal, Manitoba BizPaL, Online Name Reservation and TAXcess.
More information on Manitoba’s business and employment services, including Manitoba BizPaL, is available at www.manitoba.ca/business.
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