A new red tape working group has been established to examine ways of improving on business inefficiencies in the NWT, said Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek in the legislative assembly Wednesday.

The group, first announced in Wawzonek's budget address on Feb. 3, is a way to streamline processes so small and medium-sized businesses can operate more effectively.

The body is expected to hold its first meeting on an unspecified date in February, said a Finance Department spokesperson.

March 31 deadline

Its membership is comprised of Kelly Bluck, fiscal policy director with the department; Jacqueline Demers, assistant deputy minister; Marty-Ann Bayha, regional superintendent for the Sahtu region with the Department of Industry Tourism and Investment; Sara Brown, CEO of the NWT Association of Communities; Jenni Bruce, co-chair of the Business Advisory Council (BAC) and president of the NWT Chamber of Commerce; and Kyle Wright, from the Norman Wells and District Chamber of Commerce.

The group's objective is to provide information to the GNWT so it can reduce regulatory burdens before March 31, 2021.

Work has already begun on forming a regulatory database and exploring processes and methods from other jurisdictions that have succeeded in reducing red tape, the department spokesperson said.

Wawzonek told the assembly on Wednesday that the working group will focus on existent regulations, which ones are required and why and which ones can be streamlined.

SA国际影视传媒淚t really is within that spirit of finding that balance and trying to improve the functioning and process for the benefit of the small-business community but also for the better functioning of government,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

'F' grade for red tape

By some measures, the working group is responding to a pressing need, as Yellowknife North MLA Rylund Johnson explained to the house.

SA国际影视传媒淭he Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), for years, had a report card on red tape, and every year, the Northwest Territories got an "F," and then eventually, they just took the territories off of the report card, presumably because we were doing so badly at it,SA国际影视传媒� he said.

CFIB report cards for , and gave the NWT a failing grade.

In 2019, the last year the territory was included in the report, the NWT was said to have "some strong political leadershipSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒渋t seems the only time (regulatory reform) is discussed is during CFIB's Red Tape Awareness Week.SA国际影视传媒�

In terms of a comprehensive public measure of regulatory reform, the NWT SA国际影视传媒渉as not yet recognized the need for public measurementSA国际影视传媒� and SA国际影视传媒減utting constraints on regulators is not a priority at this time,SA国际影视传媒� the report card stated.

For next steps, the report card recommends the territory SA国际影视传媒渕ake it a priority to tackle meaningful red tape reduction.SA国际影视传媒�

The NWT was not included in the or report cards, as Johnson said.

British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Nova Scotia have consistently received SA国际影视传媒淎SA国际影视传媒� or SA国际影视传媒淎-SA国际影视传媒� ratings over the last few years.

Wawzonek said she's hopeful the territory can be added once again.

SA国际影视传媒淚 don't mind getting a bad grade if it means that we can improve our grades going forward,SA国际影视传媒� she said.

The working group's focus won't yet include all government departments.

SA国际影视传媒淭his is going to be an opportunity to seek out contributions from across the NWT, from across sectors, from across business communities, business organizations, environmental communities, environmental organizations,SA国际影视传媒� said Wawzonek.

Simplifying processes

Johnson asked if the group will examine ways of streamlining government departments, using as an example the process a prospective farmer would undertake to start a farm.

SA国际影视传媒淵ou would have to go to the town first, then you would have to go to the GNWT for approval, and then you would have to get lost in the world of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The idea that there could be one simple agriculture form is impossible.SA国际影视传媒�

Wawzonek responded that the group would look at possibilities for SA国际影视传媒渙ne-window servicesSA国际影视传媒� and reporting requirements that are single instead of multiple.

Bruce said it's too early to comment on what she expects the group can achieve, but is pleased that the issue of red tape is being addressed and is optimistic that progress will be made.

Last month, she expressed frustration as co-chair of the BAC that the GNWT's Executive Council isn't sufficiently focused on economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

The council subsequently suspended regular meetings.