Companies can now access business permits and licence services for the City of Summerside, as well as the towns of Cornwall, Montague and Souris via the BizPaL service. Through this online system, the start-up process for entrepreneurs will be simplified, and individuals can be sure they are getting accurate information in a timely manner.

Today, Environment, Labour and Justice Minister Janice Sherry, representing Innovation and Advanced Learning Minister Allen Roach, and His Worship Basil Stewart, Mayor of Summerside, welcomed the launch of BizPaL in the City of Summerside during the Greater Summerside Chamber of Commerce Professional Development Day. The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans and Member of Parliament for Egmont, on behalf of the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism) (Agriculture), offered congratulations from Ottawa.

“Entrepreneurs from Prince Edward Island and across Canada are the engines that push our economy forward, and our government is committed to reducing the paperwork burden they face every day,” said Minister Shea. “BizPaL is a great online tool that allows entrepreneurs to spend more time building their businesses, and it’s now available to all of PEI.”

The event also marked the extension of the BizPaL service to the communities of Cornwall, Montague and Souris.

“Through BizPaL, Innovation PEI is helping to grow our current business community and encourage future entrepreneurs within our private sector,” said Minister Sherry. “I know that this service will be very helpful to business in Summerside, Cornwall, Montague and Souris. BizPaL is a great example of our government’s support for the local business sector. We are trying to reduce the amount of red tape, so that companies can continue to innovate, create jobs and drive the Island’s economy.”

BizPaL is an innovative online service that provides entrepreneurs with simplified access to information on the permits and licences they need to establish and run their businesses. This unique partnership among federal, provincial and municipal governments is designed to cut through the paperwork burden and red tape that small business owners encounter.

“The City of Summerside is always open to new ideas and innovations,” said Mayor Stewart. “With the addition of this new online resource, starting a business in Summerside will be simpler, and it will be easier for entrepreneurs to get the correct information they need, when they need it.”

With the recent additions, nearly all Prince Edward Island municipalities – including all towns and cities – are served by the BizPaL service.

Area business owners and entrepreneurs can access their services by visiting innovationpei.com/BizPaL. For additional information on the service visit the BizPaL website (bizpal.ca).

Backgrounder

BizPaL Simplifies 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 then automatically generates a list of all required permits and licences from all levels of government, along with basic information on each and links to government sites where the entrepreneur 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. To date, nine provinces and three territories are participating in BizPaL, with more than 700 municipalities offering the service. Visit the BizPaL website (bizpal.ca) for a complete list of participating jurisdictions.

Industry Canada is the lead federal department for the BizPaL service, supporting the centralized functions of the project. The Government of Canada is fully committed to creating a competitive business environment that supports innovation and reduces red tape. BizPaL 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.

Area business owners and entrepreneurs can access the service by visiting the Innovation PEI website (www.innovationpei.com). For additional information on the service, visit the BizPaL (bizpal.ca).