Governments of Canada and Nunavut Partner to Deliver BizPaL Service

IQALUIT, NUNAVUT--(Marketwire - Oct. 15, 2012) - Starting and running a business in Nunavut will become easier thanks to BizPaL, an online business permit and licence service that saves time spent on paperwork and helps entrepreneurs start up faster.

Today, the Honourable Maxime Bernier, Minister of State (Small Business and Tourism), together with the Honourable Monica Ell, Nunavut's Minister responsible for the Status of Women, Minister of Human Resources and Minister Responsible for Homelessness, on behalf of the Honourable Peter Taptuna, Nunavut's Minister of Economic Development and Transportation, announced the partnering of the Government of Canada and the Government of Nunavut to launch the BizPaL service in the territory of Nunavut.

"The beginning of Small Business Week is a great opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the small business owners who create jobs and economic growth across our country," said Minister of State Bernier. "BizPaL is a useful web service that is part of our efforts to cut red tape for small and medium-sized businesses across the country, including those in Nunavut."

BizPaL is an innovative 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, territorial and municipal governments is designed to cut through the paperwork burden and red tape that small business owners encounter.

The Government of Nunavut is the 12th partner to participate in the BizPaL partnership. The other partners are Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Saskatchewan and the Yukon, with more than 645 municipalities offering the service. The Government of Canada is investing $3 million per year in BizPaL.

"The Government of Nunavut is committed to supporting community-based and sustainable economies," said Minister Ell. "This partnership with the Government of Canada shows the Government of Nunavut wants businesses to succeed."

"We want to ensure businesses in Nunavut have all the resources to start up or expand," said Minister Taptuna. "BizPaL is an important tool that will allow for easy access to the forms and information required to get your business started."

Nunavut business owners and entrepreneurs will be able to access the service through the website once completed. 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 provide information on the type of business they want to start or expand and the activities they plan to undertake. 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. Although the service is offered online, it can also be used through other service channels (i.e., telephone and in-person centres), extending services to more clients.

With Nunavut joining the partnership, 12 provinces and territories are now participating in BizPaL, with more than 645 municipalities offering the service. The service is available to over 60 percent of the Canadian population.

Industry Canada is the lead federal department for the BizPaL service, supporting the centralized functions of the service. The Government of Canada is fully committed to creating a competitive business environment that supports innovation and reduces red tape. BizPaL is an important tool that helps reduce the paperwork burden of 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 Nunavut's BizPaL website (www.bizpalnunavut.ca). For additional information on the service, visit the BizPaL website (bizpal.ca).