Northwest Territories Joins BizPaL

YELLOWKNIFE, Northwest Territories, February 21, 2008 — Starting and running a business in the Northwest Territories will become easier thanks to BizPaL, a new online business permit and licence service that saves time spent on paperwork and helps entrepreneurs start up faster.

Today, the Honourable Diane Ablonczy, Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism), on behalf of the Honourable Jim Prentice, Minister of Industry, together with the Honourable Bob McLeod, Minister of Industry, Tourism and Investment for the Northwest Territories, welcomed the addition of the Northwest Territories to the BizPaL initiative by signing a multi-jurisdictional memorandum of understanding formally acknowledging a shared commitment to the BizPaL initiative.

"The Government of Canada is pleased to be working with the Government of the Northwest Territories to promote a more competitive and productive local economy by providing easy access to essential information and reducing paperwork costs for business," said Secretary of State Ablonczy. "With BizPaL, Northern entrepreneurs will find it simpler and easier to tap the tremendous economic potential in the Northwest Territories."

"Indian and Northern Affairs Canada is pleased to invest in the BizPaL project," said the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Minister of Indian Affairs and Northern Development. "The project will help entrepreneurs access detailed and customized information about permits and licensing online. It will enhance business development and support economic growth in the Northwest Territories."

"I look forward to adding this multi-partnered initiative to the list of programs and services delivered by our government in support of small business," Minister McLeod said. "This initiative reflects not only our priority to support the development of sustainable local economies, but also to seek out more client-focused, service-oriented approaches to delivering government information to Northwest Territories residents."

BizPaL is an innovative project that provides entrepreneurs with simplified access to the information on permits and licences that they need to establish and run their businesses. This unique partnership among federal, provincial, territorial, regional and local governments is designed to cut through the paperwork burden and red tape that small business owners encounter.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is leading the implementation of BizPaL in the Northwest Territories, the eighth partner to add its signature to the memorandum of understanding. Others are the Yukon, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and Nova Scotia. The Northwest Territories is looking forward to working with municipalities to offer the BizPaL service. Visit http://www.bizpal.ca for additional project history, information and access to the websites of participating partners.

For more information, please contact:

Catherine Godbout
Office of the Honourable Diane Ablonczy
Secretary of State (Small Business and Tourism)
Tel.: 613-947-5856

Media Relations
Industry Canada
Tel.: 613-943-2502

Drew Williams
Manager, Public Affairs and Communications
Ministry of Industry, Tourism and Investment
Government of the Northwest Territories
Tel.: 867-920-8696
Cell: 867-445-3739

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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 answer a series of questions on the type of business they want to start or operate 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 accurate information on permits and licences to business. Although the service is offered online, it can also be used through other service channels (i.e., telephone and in-person centres) to improve client services.

The Government of the Northwest Territories is pleased to sign a multi jurisdictional Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that includes the Government of Canada and other participating provinces and territories. This MOU marks a critical milestone, as it formally acknowledges a shared vision and investment in the BizPaL initiative to better serve business.

To date, 8 provinces and territories are participating in BizPaL, with more than 80 municipalities offering the service (visit http://www.bizpal.ca for a complete list of participating jurisdictions).

BizPaL was a commitment of the Government of Canada in Budget 2006. It grew out of a working group of representatives from federal departments and from provincial, territorial and municipal governments across Canada. The development of the BizPaL project involved consultations with stakeholders in business and government. In November 2006, the Government of Canada released Advantage Canada, its long-term economic plan, in which it identified ways to give Canada an entrepreneurial advantage, as well as a 20-percent reduction in paperwork burden. In Budget 2007, the Government of Canada committed to achieving this target by November 2008.