Governments of Canada, British Columbia, and the Municipalities of Pitt Meadows and Powell River Deliver BizPaL Services

VICTORIA, BRITISH COLUMBIA--(Marketwire - Sept. 5, 2012) - Starting and running a business in British Columbia 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.

Today, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), together with the Honourable Pat Bell, British Columbia's Minister of Jobs, Tourism and Innovation, Dave Formosa, Mayor of Powell River, and Deb Walters, Mayor of Pitt Meadows, welcomed the launch of BizPaL in the municipalities of Pitt Meadows and Powell River.

"By improving access to financing, keeping taxes low and cutting red tape, our government is giving small and medium-sized businesses some of the tools they need to succeed," said Minister of State Bernier. "BizPaL is a great example of our government's commitment to cutting red tape so that Canadian businesses can continue to do what they do best: create jobs and wealth in our communities."

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. This unique partnership among federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments is designed to cut through the paperwork burden and red tape that small business owners encounter. The BizPaL service in Powell River and Pitt Meadows was developed by their respective municipalities, the Province of British Columbia and the Government of Canada.

"Creating a business-friendly environment is a key part of Canada Starts Here: The BC Jobs Plan," said Minister Bell. "BizPaL does just that. It's an important partnership between our government, the federal government and municipalities across B.C., allowing businesses to spend less time on paperwork and more time growing and innovating."

"BizPaL is an important tool for Powell River's economy, as we look to encourage investment and small business growth," said Mayor Formosa. "The success of small business is our community's success, so we are very happy to welcome the BizPaL program as another way to help our local businesses succeed."

"We are proud to partner with the federal and provincial governments to deliver BizPaL," said Mayor Walters. "This will be a great new tool for Pitt Meadows, as business owners here will now have a much easier and less complicated way to ensure their needs are met when setting up and running their businesses. It will also help showcase Pitt Meadows as the business-friendly city it is by streamlining operations and allowing businesses to flourish."

Area business owners and entrepreneurs can access the service by visiting the provincial BizPaL website (www.bcbizpal.ca). For additional information on the service, visit the BizPaL website (www.bizpal.ca).

Backgrounder

BizPaL Simplifies 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 provide information on the type of business they want to start or expand and the activities they plan to undertake. BizPaL then automatically generates a list of all required permits and licences from all levels of government, along with basic information on each, and links to government sites where the entrepreneur 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. Although the service is offered online, it can also be used through other service channels (i.e., telephone and in-person centres), extending services to more clients.

To date, 11 provinces and territories are participating in BizPaL, with about 650 municipalities offering the service.

Industry Canada is the lead federal department for the BizPaL initiative, supporting the centralized functions of the project. The Government of Canada is fully committed to creating a competitive business environment that supports innovation and reduces red tape. BizPaL 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 licensing tool is featured on the provincial BizPaL website (www.bcbizpal.ca). Visit the BizPaL website (www.bizpal.ca) for additional information.