Recognizing the best of the best in cutting red tape: The 2020 Golden Scissors Award finalists are...

TORONTO, Jan. 16, 2020 /CNW/ - In advance of this year's Red Tape Awareness Weektm, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is releasing the list of finalists for its Golden Scissors Awards, honouring the governments and public servants who have taken the initiative to cut red tape and improve regulations in their jurisdiction.

"It often goes unnoticed when governments and public servants roll up their sleeves and tackle red tape, but this hard work has such a big impact that we think it's important to recognize it," said Laura Jones, CFIB's executive vice-president. "This year's finalists demonstrate the progress that can be made when governments listen to small business owners and take the steps to address their concerns. We thank all the finalists for their tremendous leadership and the results they have accomplished and we look forward to announcing the winners next week."

The Golden Scissors winners and honourable mentions will be announced on Thursday, January 23. The finalists are:

• The Canada Revenue Agency, for its Liaison Officer Service, which provides a free, in-person visit by a tax expert to small businesses who need help navigating their taxes
• WorkplaceNL, for improving its customer service by moving its payment system online and expanding the digital services it offers to small business owners
• Joanne Munro, Chief Executive Officer of Service Nova Scotia and Internal Services, for moving the business registration process online, saving small businesses not only precious time but a cumulative $10 million annually through reduced fees
• Quebec's Minister of Public Security Geneviève Guilbault, for eliminating its redundant permit requirements for bowling alleys and amusement equipment in response to receiving a Paperweight "award" in 2019 for being one of the worst regulations in the country
• Ontario Deputy Minister, Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Giles Gherson and the Business Relief Unit, which investigates red tape issues submitted to its Cutting Red Tape web portal and works directly with lawmakers to address them
• Ontario Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction Prabmeet Sarkaria, for eliminating the requirement for barbers and hairdressers to collect clients' personal information before picking up their scissors
• The Government of Manitoba and Premier Brian Pallister, for their major overhaul of government systems, increasing accountability and transparency for citizens and breaking down silos between government departments
• Saskatchewan Minister of Trade and Export Development Jeremy Harrison, for creating a "Help Cut Red Tape" Web Portal that lets business owners fast-track their red tape concerns
• Alberta's Associate Minister of Red Tape Reduction Grant Hunter, who directs the province's list of red tape initiatives and invites its citizens and businesses to submit their red tape headaches to the Cut Red Tape website so they can be reviewed and addressed
• British Columbia's Ministry of Health, for creating a new online application system to enroll for provincial medical coverage that takes only 15 minutes to complete, streamlining citizens' access to health care

Find out more about the finalists and how they've helped small business owners at cfib.ca/goldenscissors.

CFIB's 11th annual Red Tape Awareness Weektm encourages governments across the country to take the initiative and launch their own red tape reduction strategies. Regulations cost small businesses $36.2 billion annually, $10 billion of which is unnecessary red tape, according to CFIB's research. To learn more visit CFIB.ca/redtape and follow #redtape.

About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada's largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 110,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners' chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.

SOURCE Canadian Federation of Independent Business