The City of Courtenay joins BizPaL, Strengthening Local Businesses

Free online business permit and licence service saves time, reduces administrative burden and helps entrepreneurs

COURTENAY, BC, June 28, 2019 /CNW/ - Starting and running a business in Courtenay, BC 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.

The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion and the Honourable Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology for British Columbia, are pleased to announce the implementation of BizPaL in the municipality of Courtenay, BC.

Courtenay's signing on to the BizPaL program, brings the total number of British Columbia's local governments involved in the service to 131. The city of Courtenay joins over 1,000 other Canadian cities, towns, regional districts and First Nations participating in this online information service.

This free online application is a directory of the permits and licences required to start or run a business. BizPaL saves business people time searching for information and, as a result, helps them meet their obligations more easily. The BizPaL program is the result of a unique partnership among federal, provincial, territorial and local governments.

For more information on the BizPaL program, please visit https://www.bcbizpal.ca.

Quotes

"Small businesses are the backbone of our economy and employ millions of hardworking Canadians from coast to coast to coast. Our government is helping small businesses start up, scale up and access new markets and making it easier for them to do business. Small business owners will tell you that few things are as valuable as time and that's why services like BizPal, that provide customized lists of what permits and licences a small business need, are so essential. "
– The Honourable Mary Ng, Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion

"When small businesses work with government, they expect processes that are simple, clear and efficient. Courtenay has joined municipalities and business owners across B.C. who recognize the value of BizPaL's central online tool. The Province is proud to be a partner in this innovative service that saves small business owners time that can be used to help grow their business."
– The Honourable Bruce Ralston, Minister of Jobs, Trade and Technology, B.C. government

"The BizPaL tool will make it easier for small businesses in Courtenay to access the information they need from all levels of government. As a small business owner, I know how challenging it can be to navigate permit requirements and processes, and BizPaL walks you through it step by step. I'm really pleased that we're now able to offer this service to our community."
– Bob Wells, Mayor, City of Courtenay  

Quick facts

• BizPaL is a unique collaboration across all levels of government that helps entrepreneurs find out which permits and licences they require to start and grow their businesses.
• All provinces and territories participate in BizPaL, with more than 1,055 municipalities and 4 First Nations offering the service, making it available to 80 percent of the Canadian population.

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Backgrounder

BizPaL simplifies access to information on 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 select the business activities they plan to undertake, and BizPaL automatically generates a list of required permits and licences from all levels of government, along with basic information on each. The list also includes links to the various government websites where entrepreneurs 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. All provinces and territories are participating in BizPaL, with over 1,000 municipalities and four First Nations communities offering the service, making it available to approximately 80 percent of the Canadian population. Visit the BizPaL website (www.bizpal-perle.ca) for a complete list of participating jurisdictions.

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is the lead federal department for BizPaL, supporting the centralized functions of the service. BizPaL demonstrates how the Government of Canada is committed to engaging provincial, territorial, and municipal governments to align as much as possible with complementary programs to support small and medium-sized businesses. The Government of Canada is committed to creating a competitive business environment that supports innovation and reduces red tape. BizPaL has 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 licence search tool is featured on the BizPaL website (www.bizpal-perle.ca), along with additional information.

Associated links

• BizPaL (Provincial) 
• BizPaL (National) 
• British Columbia Business 
• Small Business BC 
• Twitter: @BCGovNews

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on Twitter: @ISED_CA

Follow @CanadaBusiness on social media for business-related news: Twitter, Facebook

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

For further information: Corinne Havard, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Small Business and Export Promotion, [e-mail]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [e-mail]

Related Links

http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/icgc.nsf/eng/home