Governments of Canada and British Columbia Join Forces to Launch BizPaL

DUNCAN, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwired - Oct. 20, 2014) - Industry Canada

Starting and running a business in the city of Duncan just became easier thanks to BizPaL, an online business permit and licence service that saves time spent on paperwork and helps entrepreneurs start up faster.

Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) (Agriculture), and Naomi Yamamoto, British Columbia Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business, announced the implementation of BizPaL in the city of Duncan. This free online application is a directory of the permits and licences required to start or run a business. BizPaL therefore saves business people time searching for information and, as a result, helps them meet their obligations more easily.

Quick facts

• BizPaL is an innovative service that provides entrepreneurs with simplified access to information on the permits and licences they need to establish and run their businesses.
• BizPaL is a unique partnership between the federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments.
• In Canada, over 99 percent of businesses are either small or medium-sized and contribute significantly to job creation, economic growth and the GDP.

Quotes

"British Columbia entrepreneurs have a strong reputation for their innovative talents, and our government is committed to helping them succeed as they create jobs and growth in Canada. That is why BizPaL will help entrepreneurs in Duncan to spend more time building their businesses and less time on dealing with the burden of red tape."

- Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) (Agriculture)

"Creating a business-friendly environment is a key part of the BC Jobs Plan. BizPaL does just that. It's an important partnership between our government, the federal government and municipalities across B.C., making it easier for people to start businesses."

- Naomi Yamamoto, British Columbia Minister of State for Tourism and Small Business

Associated links

- BizPaL website

- Duncan BizPaL website

Follow us on Twitter: @industrycanada

Backgrounder

BizPaL simplifies access to information on permits and licences for Canadian businesses

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 select the business activities they plan to undertake, and BizPaL then automatically generates a list of required permits and licences from all levels of government, along with basic information on each. The list also includes links to the various government websites where entrepreneurs can learn more and, in some cases, apply online.

BizPaL also benefits governments by making it easier for them to provide businesses with accurate information on permits and licences. To date, all provinces and territories are participating in BizPaL, with more than 700 municipalities offering the service. Visit the BizPaL website (www.bizpal.ca) for a complete list of participating jurisdictions.

Industry Canada is the lead federal department for BizPaL, supporting the centralized functions of the service. The Government of Canada is fully committed to creating a competitive business environment that supports innovation and reduces red tape. BizPaL has contributed to the government's success in reducing the paperwork burden on small businesses.

The success of BizPaL is due in part to the multi-jurisdictional partnership among federal, provincial, territorial and municipal 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.

This interactive, smart permit and licence search tool is featured on the provincial BizPaL website (www.bcbizpal.ca). Visit the BizPaL website (www.bizpal.ca) for additional information.