With the recent launching of the Ontario Business Registry, businesses and non-profits will now be able to more easily access a wide range of government services online. This direct access will be available 24/7 and 365 days a year. Ontario’s Minister of Government and Consumer Services, Ross Romano, said that the registry would bring an end to the use of a paper-based and manually processed system, ushering in a new and modern digital transformation era. He added that it would help to reduce paperwork, save on time and break down barriers to business.
The registry will provide businesses and non-profits with quick and easy access to more than 90 types of transactions related to starting, maintaining and dissolving businesses. Romano termed the pre-existing 30-year-old business registry as cumbersome and complex, requiring business owners and not-for profit operators to allocate significant amounts of time and energy to navigate. He noted that these entities could only access government services on a 9 am-5 pm, Monday to Friday schedule. They would also often have to submit paperwork in person, mail or fax, and wait months for a response. Romano said that with the new registry, people could access services instantly with just a smartphone and at any time.
Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction, Nina Tangri, also praised the new system as a modernization of government services that would reduce unnecessary burdens and help accelerate business growth in the region. She noted that it was an important step forward for small businesses in the province and digitizing services would help to lighten the load.
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce also welcomed the news of the registry’s launch. Chamber president and CEO, Rocco Rossi said it would enable the government to move forward in delivering services in a customer-centric and business friendly way. He added that modernizing the business registration process would make it more seamless and streamlined, enabling business owners to better focus on scaling their operations and less time wasted on paperwork.
Alongside this announcement was confirmation that the Not-for-Profit Corporations Act 2010 would also go into effect. Though the Act received Royal Assent in 2010, it could only be put into effect once the Ontario Business registry was launched. It enables the modernization of governance of Ontario’s not-for-profit corporations, allowing them to transition from paper-based filings to digital services. This change is expected to improve flexibility and remove duplication of paperwork and other redundancies. These corporations will also be able to benefit from the pre-defined text that will support their operations and enable users to more easily submit error-free information.
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