The Ontario government yesterday announced the introduction of this year’s red tape reduction package, the Fewer Fees, Better Services Act, 2022.
Nina Tangri, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, introduced the latest act in the Legislature yesterday.
As part of the measures, the government is eliminating licence plate renewal fees and the requirement to have a licence plate sticker for passenger vehicles, light-duty trucks, motorcycles and mopeds, effective March 13, 2022.
Licence plate sticker renewal fees paid since March 1, 2020, will be refunded to individuals. Under the proposal, renewal fees will also be eliminated for passenger, light duty commercial vehicles, motorcycles and mopeds that are owned by a company or business. However, no refunds will be given for the period of March 2020 to March 2022.
“Since day one, we’ve been relentless in finding ways to make it easier for people and businesses to interact with the government,” said Minister Tangri. “With this legislation, we want to create a business-ready environment for investment, put money back in people’s pockets, and make Ontario the number one choice in North America to raise a family and operate a business.”
The actions taken by this government to-date, have resulted in almost $400 million in net annual savings to businesses. If passed, this act will further support businesses and entrepreneurs, ease financial burdens on people and remove overly complex processes that only serve to frustrate and thwart investment, said a media release.
Some of the proposed changes in the act include:
- Cutting costs for millions of Ontario vehicle owners by refunding licence plate sticker renewal fees paid since March 1, 2020;
- Establishing a single window for business services, which will require service standard guarantees so businesses can track the information they need from the government;
- Helping to level the playing field for Ontario businesses by changing the government’s approach to procurement. The change will strengthen the province’s supply chain and help domestic businesses grow and create good paying jobs;
- Providing more flexibility related to provincial assets by creating a Centre of Realty Excellence. This holistic approach across all government-owned properties will ensure priority surplus properties align with key programs, including affordable housing and long-term care; and
- Giving commuters a break by removing tolls from Highways 412 and 418. This responds particularly to requests from municipal leaders and Indigenous communities in Durham Region.
Quick Facts
- The Supporting People and Businesses Act, 2021 is part of Ontario Onwards: Ontario’s Covid-19 Action Plan for a People-Focused Government , which includes more than 30 projects that are changing the way people and businesses interact with the government.
- Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, Ontario took immediate action to help people and businesses by passing five high-impact burden reduction bills in the past year: The Covid-19 Economic Recovery Act, 2020, Main Street Recovery Act, 2020, Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2020, Supporting Recovery and Competitiveness Act, 2021 and Supporting People and Business Act, 2021.
- To date, the government has taken more than 400 actions to reduce burdens — without compromising health, safety, or the environment.
- To allow the government to introduce the 2022 Budget at a time when it can better assess the effects of the reopening of the economy and introduce a plan for recovery, the government is proposing to amend the Fiscal Sustainability, Transparency and Accountability Act (FSTAA) to extend the deadline to release the 2022 Budget from March 31, 2022 to April 30, 2022.