Governments of Canada, Prince Edward Island, and the Towns of Alberton, Borden-Carleton, Georgetown and Kensington Deliver the BizPaL Service

CHARLOTTETOWN, PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND--(Marketwire - Jan. 24, 2013) - Starting and running a business in four Prince Edward Island towns just became 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 Allen Roach, Prince Edward Island's Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning, and Erin McGrath-Gaudet, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business's Director of Provincial Affairs for Prince Edward Island, welcomed the launch of BizPaL in the towns of Alberton, Borden-Carleton, Georgetown and Kensington.

"The Government of Canada continues to deliver on its commitment to support Canada's small and medium-sized enterprises, which create jobs and economic growth across our country," said Minister of State Bernier. "BizPaL is a great example of how we are working at reducing the administrative and paperwork burden on Canadian businesses in order to improve Canada's competitiveness and support small businesses."

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.

BizPaL, which receives $3 million annually in federal funding, is administered by Industry Canada in partnership with 12 provinces and territories and more than 645 municipalities.

"Our government is pleased to announce more Island municipalities included in P.E.I.'s BizPaL system," said Minister Roach. "This is an excellent service for both new entrepreneurs and existing small business owners to start and accelerate their businesses, saving them time and resources."

"When opening or expanding a business, it can be daunting, even for experienced entrepreneurs, to find all the permits and licences they need when they are dealing with multiple levels of government and various departments," said Ms. McGrath-Gaudet. "Programs like BizPaL are a great way for governments to help entrepreneurs find their way through that maze and ultimately improve compliance with those rules and regulations."

Area business owners and entrepreneurs can access the BizPaL service by visiting the Innovation PEI website (www.innovationpei.com). 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.

There are 12 provinces and territories 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. The Government of Canada is fully committed to creating a competitive business environment that supports innovation and reduces red tape. BizPaL is an important service 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 the Innovation PEI website (www.innovationpei.com). For additional information on the service, visit the BizPaL website (bizpal.ca).