Service NL
June 16, 2015
The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Dan Crummell, Minister of Service NL:
Minister Recognizes Success of BizPaL Program
Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House to note that the Town of Petty Harbour - Maddox Cove recently became the 70th municipality to partner in BizPaL. Introduced to the province in 2009, BizPaL is a federal-provincial-territorial online information service that helps local entrepreneurs save time and money by simplifying the process of obtaining permits and licences.
Mr. Speaker, the BizPaL service begins by prompting clients with a list of questions about their business venture. Responses are then used to generate a customized list of all permits and other regulatory approvals that must be obtained in order to operate a specific type of business. The process is completely confidential � it is not necessary for users to provide identifying information to access the system, and no information is stored about the user. The goal is to provide business owners with accurate, accessible, complete and current information about the requirements they must satisfy at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels of government.
The fact that municipal participation in BizPaL has grown so quickly speaks to the value of this initiative. Statistical tracking shows that the Newfoundland and Labrador BizPaL website is accessed thousands of times each month by local businesses, as well as potential business operators from foreign countries, which demonstrates how this initiative supports business activity. Service NL has been actively encouraging municipalities to join, and to date, the department has added an average of 10 municipalities per year. I encourage municipal leaders to make contact with Service NL if they would like more information about how they can use BizPaL to support new ventures in their community.
Mr. Speaker, Service NL has a mandate to make government services more readily available to the people of the province, and our involvement with BizPaL is one of many ways we are fulfilling that mandate. Our government has always been very supportive of the small to medium-sized firms that drive our economy. We will continue these efforts through BizPaL, and through the comprehensive suite of programs delivered by the Department of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development.
Mr. Speaker, I encourage business owners, prospective entrepreneurs, and my colleagues in this Honourable House to experience this great service firsthand by visiting www.bizpal.gov.nl.ca, and then spread the word about this initiative. Fostering new business success is important, and BizPaL is helping us do that in Newfoundland and Labrador. Thank you, Mr. Speaker.
2015 06 16 1:55 p.m.