Getting regulations right

Industry groups call on Ontario Government for action  

OTTAWA, Nov. 17 /CNW/ - Today, a group of business industry associations released a report calling for key improvements to the Government of Ontario's Regulatory Policy, which was driven by the Open for Business Secretariat. This report, entitled Creating a World Class Regulatory System in Ontario, and its recommendations were developed in the spirit of improving the coordination and supervision of the regulatory process in Ontario.

"Right now, regulations are costing each Ontario citizen, on average, over $4,500 a year - that is $1,000 more than we each pay on average for health care on an annual basis," said Shannon Coombs, CCSPA President. "Ontarians deserve not only the best regulations, but also the most cost effective."  

"To attract new investments into the province, Ontario needs a clear articulation of the roles and responsibilities in our regulatory process," added Jayson Myers, CME President.

Industry groups applaud the introduction of the Ontario Government's new Regulatory Policy in April, which takes into account the costs of regulations to business and to society, but now we are calling for the Government to start implementing it. The report makes seven key recommendations, including: 

• the creation of a centralized oversight mechanism to implement the Regulatory Policy for all new proposed regulations,
• the requirement of high-quality regulatory impact analyses before adopting new regulations,
• mandatory impact assessments under the Legislation Act, and
• the development a multi-year strategy to effectively educate and train regulators on Ontario's new Regulatory Policy.

Creating a World Class Regulatory System in Ontario was written by two leading experts in regulatory policy, Jim Martin and Doug Blair, and is sponsored by the Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association, the Canadian Association of Chemical Distributors, the Chemistry Industry Association of Canada, the Canadian Fertilizer Institute, the Canadian Paint and Coatings Association, the Rubber Association of Canada, CropLife Canada, and the Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

For further information:

Shannon Coombs
President
Canadian Consumer Specialty Products Association
[phone], ext. 18

Michael Bourque
Chemistry Industry Association of Canada
[phone], ext. 225

Jeff Brownlee
Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters
[phone], ext. 4233