SoVote

Decentralized Democracy

Ontario Assembly

43rd Parl. 1st Sess.
June 1, 2023 09:00AM
  • Jun/1/23 11:30:00 a.m.

Thanks to the member from Hastings–Lennox and Addington for his question. In the past, Speaker, Ontarians have been forced to navigate through a fragmented experience when trying to start, operate and grow their own business thanks to unclear and hard-to-find information that is scattered across the Internet.

But in the Premier’s own words, the buck stops with us. Our government has built a new digital experience on Ontario.ca/business that makes it easier for businesses to get the information they need when they need it through a new single window of seamless information. Thanks to our ability to use this best-in-class technology, we are providing them with the best that Ontario has to offer. We absolutely have to seize this unique opportunity, Speaker, to transform how our government better serves businesses right here in our great province.

Speaker, as our economy continues to boom, as businesses continue to come in this province, we want to make business owners’ lives easy, not difficult—as what the opposition would always be looking for, to make life difficult for businesses to come in our province. This government will make sure that businesses have—make it easy for them to—

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  • Jun/1/23 11:30:00 a.m.

My question this time is for the Minister of Public and Business Service Delivery. I just spoke about the value of tourism, and those entrepreneurs and businesses are vital to Ontario’s economic prosperity.

Starting and growing a business can be incredibly challenging when trying to navigate complex processes to obtain permits, follow regulations and create jobs. While these are necessary requirements, accessing government services should not be complicated and difficult. The faster businesses can get up and running, the faster they can pursue their dreams and help to build a stronger Ontario. That’s why it’s up to our government to remove obstacles that create unnecessary delays so that business applications can be processed easier and more efficiently.

Speaker, will the minister please explain how our government is making it easier for businesses in Ontario to access the government services that they need?

As a former IT guy, I know that when it comes to providing government services, we can’t be an off-line government in an online world. Any initiative that makes it easier for businesses to get up and running is a positive step that will contribute to their eventual successes. It is essential that our government continues to listen to the business community and to implement solutions that help to move Ontario forward.

Speaker, will the minister please elaborate on how this new single-window access system will help to improve services for businesses here in Ontario?

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