The City of Brockville in Ontario has become the latest municipality to offer Industry Canada’s online service tool BizPaL.
In cooperation with the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario, executives with the City of Brockville announced yesterday the availability of BizPaL service for businesses in the city.
“Whenever we can simplify the paperwork and bureaucracy and get to the business quickly, we not only should do so, but must do so,” said Brockville Mayor Dave Henderson.
BizPaL is an online service that provides entrepreneurs with tailored information on the permits and licences they need to start or operate their business, according to Marcie Girouard, executive director of service delivery and partnerships for Industry Canada.
“Users simply answer a series of questions on their type of business and BizPaL will automatically generate a list of all required permits and licences from all levels of government, with basic information on each, as well as links to government sites where users can learn more and, in some cases, apply online,” said Girouard.
Girouard explained that BizPaL is designed to cut through the paperwork burden and red tape that small business owners have had to endure in the past.
“BizPaL is just one way in which we’re making it easier for business in Ontario,” said Ted McMeekin, minister of Government and Consumer Services for the Government of Ontario in a statement. “Businesses have told us they need a one-window approach to government services and information, and we’re delivering.”
Girouard said BizPaL helps governments in their ongoing efforts to boost efficiency and enhance customer service, as well as improve the service experience for clients by allowing them to find the necessary information in one location.
BizPaL has been launched in over 60 municipalities in six participating provinces and territories. Within Ontario, BizPal is available in cities including Brampton, Oakville, Ottawa and the Regional Municipality of Halton.
The benefits of BizPal to municipalities according to Girouard are:
– Empower clients-With BizPaL, business clients can self-serve by answering a series of questions themselves by using a user-friendly Q & A wizard.
– Increased compliance-Businesses gain a better idea of their obligations and have the information they need to meet them.
– Gain a competitive advantage-BizPaL streamlines the business permit and licence process to make regions, municipalities, provinces or territories more attractive to business. This can directly benefit the economy.
– Leverage existing Web forms and services-BizPaL works with existing municipal Web sites to reduce the time and cost involved in developing new tools.
– Consistent information-BizPaL provides call centre and counter staff with accurate, up-to-date, and consistent information about permits and licences from all levels of governments.
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