Toronto – Red Tape Awareness Week™ is back on January 21 for its 10th year shining light on the negative impact excessive regulations have on Canadians and highlighting governments and public servants who have successfully cut red tape, announced the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
“Looking back over a decade of fighting red tape, we are proud of what we have accomplished and how far we have come as a country,” said Laura Jones, CFIB’s executive vice-president. “However, the work is never done. Like a bad weed, red tape will multiply the moment you turn your back on it. Out-of-control red tape leads to a host of bad outcomes, from higher prices and reduced entrepreneurship to some less expected ones like increased poverty and income inequality. It’s an issue affecting every Canadian.”
This year’s Red Tape Awareness Week™ lineup includes:
- Monday, January 21: CFIB will be announcing its 2019 Paperweight Awards to highlight examples of red tape stories from across the country. Business owners will vote over the week to determine the worst of the pack.
- Tuesday, January 22: CFIB will be releasing the grades of the federal and provincial governments in its annual Red Tape Accountability Report Card.
- Wednesday, January 23: CFIB will be announcing its annual challenge to cut red tape and review progress on last year’s challenge. In 2018 we challenged the premiers to address three key red tape pain points related to internal trade. In 2019 we are asking municipalities to step up and do their part.
- Thursday, January 24:
- The Golden Scissors Award winners and honourable mentions will be announced, highlighting the governments and public servants who have done an exceptional job of cutting unnecessary red tape (nominees will be announced on January 17).
- Farmers deal with unique red tape challenges, such as being asked to complete Statistics Canada surveys during their busiest time of year. CFIB will release new research on the red tape burden placed on the agricultural industry.
- Friday, January 25: The Business Owners’ Choice Paperweight Award will be announced on CFIB’s social media platforms – Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
CFIB’s Red Tape Awareness Week™ is encouraging governments across the country to launch their own red tape reduction initiatives. To learn more visit CFIB.ca/redtape and follow #redtape.
