The City of Richmond also receives recognition for streamlining its permitting processes
Toronto, February 2, 2024 – The Atlantic provinces and the Ontario government have been awarded CFIB’s 2024 Golden Scissors Awards for regulatory modernization as part of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB)’s 15th annual Red Tape Awareness Week™.
The Atlantic provinces are being recognized for their visionary Atlantic Physician Registry. Launched on May 1, 2023, this groundbreaking initiative allows physicians to practice in all four Atlantic provinces without having to register in each. The registry replaces a cumbersome by-province temporary licence regime that charged average registration fees of approximately $2,000 per year, with a one-stop streamlined structure that charges a nominal $500.00 annual fee. This transformative approach makes healthcare more financially viable for practitioners and enhances the accessibility and quality of care for residents across the Atlantic provinces.
The Ontario government is being recognized for their “As of Right” legislation. Under the leadership of health minister Sylvia Jones, the Your Health Act allows Canadian-credentialed healthcare workers to begin working in Ontario immediately, without first having to wait for the registration process to be completed. This measure allows physicians and other healthcare workers to practise for up to six months while getting their application completed and approved.
“The Atlantic provinces and Ontario are both making great strides to help address physician shortages through the use of regulatory modernization. Both the Atlantic registry and Ontario’s new ‘as of right’ rules will allow greater ease and flexibility for healthcare professionals and will improve outcomes for patients by ensuring they are able to access the care and services they need,” said Keyli Loeppky, CFIB’s director of interprovincial affairs. “We need more of this innovative regulatory thinking across Canada, and urge governments not only to follow suit, but to expand the mutual recognition principles behind both programs to workers in other sectors.”
CFIB is also recognizing the City of Richmond, BC with a “One to Watch” award for regulatory modernization in municipal permitting and licensing.
“The City of Richmond is doing something truly unique in its efforts to streamline and modernize its business permitting system through its MyBusiness and MyPermit online portals,” said Loeppky. “We look forward to closely monitoring their achievements over the next year and encourage other municipalities across Canada to follow their example.”
This year’s Red Tape Awareness Week is presented in partnership with Intuit QuickBooks.
To learn more visit: cfib.ca/redtape.
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact:
Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB
647-464-2814
public.affairs@cfib.ca
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada’s largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 97,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners’ chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.