Manitoba is moving forward on reducing government red tape by providing more access to business information and services in both urban and rural locations. This announcement was made by Entrepreneurship, Training and Trade Minister Peter Bjornson today, while opening a new Manitoba Business Gateway in St-Pierre-Jolys.
“We have been establishing Manitoba Business Gateways in Bilingual Service Centres in several urban and rural locations, including here in St-Pierre-Jolys, to support entrepreneurs and businesses in their efforts to become more innovative and competitive,” said Bjornson. “We have already set up a site in Brandon and St. Boniface, and we plan to soon be in Notre Dame de Lourdes, St. Vital and St. Laurent.”
The Manitoba Business Gateway provides single-window access and referrals to a wide array of business and employment information and services including business starts, permits and licences, financial programs, business planning, recruiting, training and managing employees, business expansion and growth, exporting and more.
“As the president of St-Pierre-Jolys Chamber of Commerce and owner of a small business, I am very encouraged to see a business gateway being set up here, providing additional access to programs, services and information in both French and English to support entrepreneurs and businesses in the Red River Region,” said Marcel Mulaire.
The Bilingual Service Centres are a federal-provincial partnership that provides a wide range of bilingual government services while promoting the active offer of services in the French language. Bilingual support will also be provided for other Manitoba Business Gateway sites including Brandon, delivering a cost-effective way to provide business services in French in other areas of the province, Bjornson said.
The Manitoba Business Gateways will build upon services already provided by the Bilingual Service Centres and will provide the centres’ specialized staff with additional knowledge and tools to help entrepreneurs and employers cut red tape and become more successful and competitive, he added.
Additionally, the establishment of Manitoba Business Gateway sites within the Bilingual Service Centres will provide increased access to French-language services including for entrepreneurs who have recently immigrated to Manitoba, the minister said.
“We are encouraged the overall cost to business for complying with regulations has gone down since 2005 in Manitoba,” said Bjornson. “However, we know businesses are concerned about the impact of red tape and we will continue to identify and implement measures to support businesses and help reduce their costs.”
The Manitoba Business Gateways will also provide businesses with improved access to the province’s growing list of online services including the Manitoba Business Portal, Manitoba BizPaL, Online Name Reservation and TAXcess, Bjornson said.
More information on Manitoba’s business and employment services, including Manitoba BizPaL, is available at www.gov.mb.ca/business/.
