Alberta tops CFIB’s Red Tape Report for 2023

by Morinville Online Staff

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) released its 13th Annual Red Tape Report Card Wednesday morning,  part of the business advocacy group’s Red Tape Awareness Week.

Alberta, Ontario, and British Columbia topped this year’s report, while Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island received the report’s lowest grades.

The annual report grades provincial governments in three areas of regulator performance: regulatory accountability, regulatory burden, and redtape reduction political priority.

Alberta received 8.8 out of 10 or an A+ in this year’s report. Ontario and British Columbia came in at 8.5, and Newfoundland and Labrador came in at the bottom of the report with 3 out of 10 or an F.

“Governments do three main things: tax, spend, and regulate. There’s plenty of measurement and accountability on the fiscal side, but too little on the regulatory side,” said CFIB Executive Vice-President Laura Jones in a media release Wednesday. “That is why CFIB started grading governments 13 years ago. Since then, governments have made significant progress, but more work needs to be done to ensure governments are not only measuring and reporting their regulatory counts but also reducing the overall burden.”

Alberta’s Minister Service Alberta and Red Tape Reduction and Morinville-St. Albert MLA Dale Nally was pleased with the news.

“The CFIB has been instrumental in motivating governments to take action on red tape, and as the minister responsible for red tape reduction, I am honoured by the recognition. It is one thing to make the honour roll, but it is quite another to place at the top of your class,” Nally said in a media release Wednesday morning

“Still, it’s the results that count. Whether we are making it easier for vulnerable Albertans to apply for services or eliminating unnecessary administrative burdens for business, our goal is the same – to improve outcomes for Albertans and Alberta businesses while still ensuring appropriate safeguards are in place. Red tape reduction since 2019 has saved Albertans and Alberta businesses $2.1 billion.

“Since 2019, Alberta’s government has reduced red tape by more than 27 per cent. We are approaching our 33 per cent reduction goal – but there is still work to be done.

“Going forward, Alberta’s government will continue to engage Albertans and industry to hear their ideas for how we can remove more unnecessary regulatory barriers.”

Below are the 2023 Red Tape Report Card grades:

Jurisdiction Regulatory 
accountability 
(40%) 
Regulatory  
burden 
(40%)  
Political  
priority 
(20%)  
Overall score and grade
Alberta 8.9         A- 8.4         B+ 9.5         A 8.8         A-
Ontario 8.8         A- 7.8         B 9.5         A 8.5         B+
British Columbia 8.9         A- 8.8         A- 7.0         C 8.5         B+
Nova Scotia 8.8         A- 7.6         B- 9.0         A 8.4         B+
Manitoba 8.8         A- 8.3         B+ 7.5         B- 8.3         B+
Quebec 8.8         A- 7.4         C+ 9.0         A 8.3         B+
Saskatchewan 8.0         B 7.9         B 7.0         C 7.8         B
Federal 6.9         C 6.2         C- 7.5         B- 6.7         C
Prince Edward Island 6.3         C- 6.7         C 6.0         C- 6.4         C-
New Brunswick 4.3         F 5.8         D 7.0         C 5.4         D
Newfoundland and Labrador 3.0         F 3.9         F 1.5         F 3.0         F

 

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