Red Tape Challenge 2020: Axe the fax

The following is an open letter from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business to municipal, regional, provincial and federal governments.

Every year during Red Tape Awareness Week™, CFIB issues a Red Tape Challenge, encouraging governments to take meaningful action to reduce red tape for Canadians. This year we are calling on governments from coast to coast to coast to ditch out of date processes — such as requiring fax machines and in-person renewals — and take at least one meaningful step to modernize. Call it an important New Year’s resolution that will help entrepreneurs thrive and give Canadians the best gift of all—the gift of time.

While many governments are taking action to reduce red tape by going digital, it’s clear from the hundreds of comments we received on a recent CFIB survey that there are still far too many antiquated rules and procedures that make no sense in the 21st century. It’s time to go from in-line to online.

Imagine if every government in Canada from the biggest to the smallest took at least one meaningful step in this direction in 2020. The time savings could be enormous, to say nothing of Canadians’ reduced frustration and blood pressure. Ready to accept CFIB’S 2020 Red Tape Challenge? It’s as simple as your government committing to solve at least one antiquated process. Here are some examples:

- Put most commonly accessed forms online and make sure they are easy to find. Better yet, ensure you can submit the forms online and optimize them to prevent typos and missing fields, mitigating rejections. The best online forms are short and in plain language. Accept electronic signatures instead of in-person appointments where appropriate.

- Make payment options available online.

- Eliminate the need to deal with government via fax. As your government digitally transforms, give the gift of improved customer service. Nothing is more frustrating that websites that are difficult to navigate, littered with broken links, and without a real person to talk to when something goes wrong. It will also be important to maintain good options for those without high-speed internet.

To support this challenge, CFIB is happy to connect your government with more input from small business. We frequently survey our members and they would love to give you feedback. To accept the challenge, join the conversation online with the hashtags #redtape, #axethefax.

On behalf of small business owners and Canadians everywhere, we sincerely hope you accept our challenge.

Laura Jones

Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic Officer

Canadian Federation of Independent Business

sanderson@swbooster.com

30 – 4th Ave. N.W. Swift Current, SK S9H 0T5

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