Ontario Continues to Cut Red Tape to Improve Services and Save Businesses Time and Money

Pete Fisher
1 year ago
• Categories: Provincial

The Less Red Tape, More Common Sense Act, 2023 would, if passed, build on the Ontario government’s continued efforts to reduce regulatory burden by implementing common sense changes that help create the conditions for people and businesses to thrive.

Since 2018, these red tape reduction efforts have saved businesses, not-for-profit organizations, municipalities, universities and colleges, school boards and hospitals over $939 million in gross annual regulatory compliance costs.

The Fall 2023 Red Tape Reduction Package includes 32 new measures that will improve services for people and reduce costs for businesses, while making it easier to work with government. When fully implemented, these measures are estimated to save people and business up to 100,000 hours of time each year.

Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA)

Amending the Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations Act: Ontario is proposing amendments to the Agricultural and Horticultural Organizations Act that would reduce confusion, provide greater clarity, and reduce red tape for agricultural and horticultural societies, and agricultural associations.

Amending the Nutrient Management Act: Ontario is proposing to update a regulation under the Nutrient Management Act, 2002 that would correct a reference to a company that no longer provides verification services for incinerators so that producers can obtain verification from the right companies to ensure incinerators meet performance standards.

Updating the Farm Registration and Farm Organizations Funding Act: Ontario is proposing to revoke un-proclaimed sections in the Farm Registration and Farm Organizations Act that, would reduce confusion and provide clarity for stakeholders.

Ministry of the Attorney General (MAG)

Removal of Public Guardian and Trustee Donation Reporting Requirements: Ontario is proposing an amendment to the Charities Accounting Act that would remove the obligation for charities (i.e., non-profit charitable corporations, unincorporated organizations, and trusts) to provide notice to the Ontario Public Guardian and Trustee when they are established.

Amending the Professional Engineers Act: Ontario is proposing amendments to the Professional Engineers Act that would support the modernization of Professional Engineers Ontario’s operations, including electronic delivery of notices and documents, mandatory reporting of regulatory information and the process for consideration of Registrar investigation reports, along with housekeeping amendments to streamline and clarify regulatory processes.

Ministry of Citizenship and Multiculturalism (MCM)

Streamlining Alterations to Religious Buildings: Ontario is proposing legislative and regulatory amendments to the Ontario Heritage Act that would ensure that any proposed alterations to religious buildings designated by municipalities as heritage properties, where those buildings continue to be used for religious practice, will be able to obtain approval to renovate or repair their places of worship quickly and with less red tape.

Ministry of Colleges and Universities (MCU)

Optimizing Research Funding Programs Processes: Ontario is proposing to streamline and improve processes to make it easier for colleges, universities, hospitals and research institutions to apply for and manage research funding projects that will provide social and economic benefits for Ontarians.

Extending College and University Boards Chair Terms: Ontario is proposing amendments to the Ontario Colleges of Applied Arts and Technology Act, 2002, and some individual university acts that would allow college and university board of governors to extend the term of the board chair for a period of two years beyond the relevant legislated limit, making it easier for institutions to retain the expertise and experience of their board chairs and maintain continuity of leadership.

Ministry of Education (EDU)

Reducing Process Burden on School Boards: Ontario is working to accelerate improvements to education data applications by streamlining existing processes to reduce reporting burden on school and school board staff.

Ministry of Energy (ENERGY)

Removing Barriers to Net Metering Arrangements: Ontario is proposing amendments to O. Reg. 679/21: Community Net Metering Projects that would assist in the implementation of the authorized demonstration project by removing the bill credit allocation limit. Ontario is also proposing amendments to O. Reg. 389/10: General that would provide greater certainty for both third-party generators and customers by clarifying contract cancellation provisions for third-party ownership net metering arrangements.

Streamlining Exemption Requests for Energy Consumption and Water Use: Ontario is proposing to amend Ontario Regulation 506/18: Reporting of Energy Consumption and Water Use, made under the Electricity Act, 1998, that would streamline the exemption process for eligible building owners by removing the requirement to submit supporting documentation when submitting a notice for either an ongoing exemption or an exemption from reporting in a calendar year.

Reviewing the regulatory framework for Independent Electricity System Operators’ Board of Directors: Ontario is proposing amendments to streamline the existing regulatory requirements concerning Independent Electricity System Operators (IESO) Board of Directors appointments that would consolidate the rules governing those appointments that are currently dispersed across two separate regulations into a single regulation.

Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP)

Optimizing Management of Excess Soil: Ontario is proposing amendments to O. Reg 406/19: On-Site and Excess Soil Management (the Excess Soil Regulation) that would make it easier and less costly for businesses to reuse excess soil locally, as part of a circular economy and to prevent usable soil from being disposed of in landfill. These changes would support Ontario’s plans to build more housing and highways faster, while ensuring strong protection of human health and the environment.

Ministry of Finance (MOF)

Streamlining the Minimum Consultation Period for the Ontario Securities Commission and Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario: Ontario is proposing to amend the Securities Act, the Commodity Futures Act and the Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario Act, 2016. The amendments would allow the Ontario Securities Commission and Financial Services Regulatory Authority of Ontario to reduce the minimum public consultation period from 90 days to 60 days on proposed new rules if they are simple and straightforward. Both agencies would retain the ability to hold longer consultations for more complex rules.

Reducing Burden for Credit Unions: Ontario is proposing to amend the Credit Unions and Caisses Populaires Act, 2020 and one regulation to reduce burdens on the credit union sector. The amendments would make it easier for credit unions to issue shares to purchase other credit unions, prepare investor offering statements and take deposits from brokers who manage money on behalf of clients.

Ministry of Health (MOH) and Ministry of Red Tape Reduction (MRTR)

Reducing Paperwork Demands on Physicians: Ontario is streamlining and reducing the paperwork demands on physicians, something physicians have identified as a contributing factor in burn out. Across government and in collaboration with the Ontario Medical Association, the government is reviewing key forms to streamline and simplify them, minimize any duplication, and identify opportunities for digital solutions. Improving government forms will free up as much as 95,000 hours each year for physicians to put back into their practices.

Ministry of Health (MOH)

Streamlining Submission Requirements for Generic Drugs: Ontario is proposing to make regulatory amendments under the Ontario Drug Benefit Act and Drug Interchangeability and Dispensing Fee Act that would remove barriers for drug manufacturers seeking to have their drugs publicly funded or designated as interchangeable in Ontario. These changes would better align with existing Health Canada requirements for approving the sale of well-established drugs that have been sold in Canada for sufficient time, and in sufficient quantity, to establish their safety and effectiveness. This would result in access to more treatment options for patients.

Ministry of Labour, Immigration, Training and Skills Development (MLITSD)

Streamlining Skilled Trades Ontario Data and Information Sharing: Ontario is proposing a new regulation under the Building Opportunities in the Skilled Trades Act, 2021 that would enable Skilled Trades Ontario to collect and share the data with the ministry as needed. This data would include personal information on registering apprentices and exam administration.

Improving the Certification Management System: Ontario is proposing to make ministry information and resources easily available to the public and to act as a one-stop shop for training providers, workers, and employers. It will provide employers with access to employee training verification, minimizing turnaround and lost production time when processing enquiries and addressing inspection orders.

Streamlining Joint Health and Safety Committee Training Standards: The government has launched a five-year review to ensure the Certification Training Standards remains relevant and practical. Specific actions include eliminating learning outcomes duplicated in existing training requirements and exploring opportunities to reduce barriers experienced by businesses and learners.

Ministry of Mines (MINES)

Prescribing Requirements for the Recovery of Minerals: Ontario is currently consulting on proposed regulations to support amendments to the Mining Act that make it easier for mining companies to recover minerals from mine tailings and waste at mine sites. This will unlock new economic opportunities and create an opportunity to further remediate mine sites, including those that are closed and/or abandoned.

Consulting on Assessment Work Changes: Ontario is soliciting feedback on proposed regulatory and other changes to make improvements to the assessment work regime. Improvements would ensure the province remains competitive and attractive for investment and reduce burden for claimholders. Proposed changes could include, among other things, expanding ways businesses can obtain assessment work credit, reviewing ministry requirements, and making technological improvements to the Mining Lands Administration System.

Consulting on Improving Exploration Permits: Ontario is soliciting feedback on proposed regulatory and other changes to make improvements to the exploration permit regime. Improvements would ensure the province remains competitive and attractive for investment, and incentivize exploration for new mineral development opportunities to support stronger supply chains in Ontario. Proposed changes could include, among other things, streamlining business processes and reducing administrative burden for claimholders applying for exploration permits.

Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF)

Modernizing the Niagara Escarpment Program: Ontario is proposing to make legislative amendments to the Niagara Escarpment Planning and Development Act that respond directly to recommendations made by the Auditor General. These changes, such as replacing outdated requirements to publish notices in newspapers with a modern requirement to post on a Government of Ontario website, would better serve client and community needs. These changes would also enable Niagara Escarpment Commission (NEC) to streamline the processing of simple permit and approval processes such as building an accessibility ramp on an existing property, enabling them to dedicate more resources to complex applications while maintaining and enhancing all protection policies of the Escarpment.

Ministry of Public and Business Service Delivery (MPBSD)

Amending the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002: Ontario is proposing legislative amendments to the Motor Vehicle Dealers Act, 2002 (MVDA) that would reduce burden for motor vehicle dealers and salespersons and enhance consumer protection by removing outdated transitional provisions that relate to the transition from the previous version of the MVDA and which are no longer required, and increasing the minimum fine for acting as a motor vehicle dealer or salesperson without being registered from $2,500 to $5,000. Ontario is planning to consult on additional potential legislative and regulatory amendments to the MVDA that may further reduce burden for registered motor vehicle dealers and enhance consumer protection.

Reducing Burden for Share Capital Social Clubs: Ontario is proposing amendments to the Corporations Act that would make it easier for social clubs to continue their operations under the Business Corporations Act, the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act, 2010, or the Co-operative Corporations Act prior to the deadline of October 19, 2026. This will ultimately reduce their risk of dissolution so they can continue to operate and serve their members and communities.

Ministry of Red Tape Reduction (MRTR)

Updating the Modernizing Ontario for People and Businesses Act, 2020: Ontario is proposing to update the Modernizing Ontario for People and Businesses Act, 2020 (MOPBA), as well as implement regulatory amendments to O.Reg 556/20: EXEMPTIONS that would keep MOPBA’s legislation current and revoke exemptions to the Act that are no longer required.

Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility (MSAA)

Making it Easier to Work with Government for the Retirement Homes Sector: Ontario is proposing a legislative amendment to the Retirement Homes Act, 2010 (RHA) that, responds to the requests of the retirement home community to provide faster, more relevant information. The proposed amendment provides a one window approach for retirement home residents and their families/caregivers, operators and staff, and other stakeholders to provide input on proposed regulations under the RHA.

Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport (MTCS)

Streamlining Approvals of St. Lawrence Parks’ Easements: Ontario is proposing changes to the St. Lawrence Parks Commission Act that would make it easier and faster to grant routine easements. These proposed amendments will reduce the administrative burden and delays that the St. Lawrence Parks Commission (SLPC) is currently experiencing in their day-to-day business operations. They will also reduce delays that local businesses, municipalities and residents experience when conducting authorized activities on SLPC lands.

Board Governance Requirements Progress Report: Ontario improved how agencies and entities operated internally and, consequently, how they deliver services and work with businesses in Ontario. These changes incorporate governance best practices, modernize governance frameworks and clarify the rules for public appointees, making it easier and more attractive to serve on their boards.

Ministry of Transportation (MTO)

Streamlining Corridor Development Permits: Ontario is proposing the designation of transit corridor lands for the Hamilton Light Rail Transit to streamline corridor development permits and the expropriation process to get shovels in the ground sooner.

Highway Corridor Management System Land Development Review Module: Ontario is working to develop a new Land Development Review module as part of the Highway Corridor Management System. When complete, developers and municipalities will be able to submit, track and receive all MTO approvals for development applications online. This will provide greater transparency and accountability in the development review process and timelines, saving time and money for both businesses and government.