Media Release: Mayor Nenshi joins with business community to cut red tape

Mayor Naheed Nenshi joined with business organizations today to launch the second phase of the Cut Red Tape initiative. This Council-supported initiative is designed to collect and implement solutions that will make it easier for citizens and businesses to interact with The City of Calgary.
“Through this initiative, doing business with The City of Calgary can become even better—and that includes getting work done faster and with the least amount of fuss,” said Mayor Nenshi. “And if we’re serious about improving customer service and reducing red tape, it makes sense to ask the customer directly about their own experience. We want to make Calgary the best place in Canada for a business to start and flourish.”

Starting today and running until January 31, 2012, entrepreneurs and business representatives can visit www.cutredtape.ca or call 3-1-1 to submit their suggestions to cut red tape.

For Phase Two of the Cut Red Tape initiative, Mayor Nenshi brought together a host of business advocacy organizations to collaborate on solutions to cut red tape. This involves asking the various organization memberships for red tape solutions and determining, as a committee, the next steps for implementing short, medium, and long-term recommendations.

“We truly appreciate the opportunity to work with Mayor Nenshi and The City to find real and lasting solutions to control municipal red tape. I look forward to offering advice and sharing the perspective of our members as this process unfolds,” said Richard Truscott, Director of Provincial Affairs for Alberta, with the Canadian Federation of Independent Business—one of the Cut Red Tape partner organizations. “If we can work together to find meaningful ways to get entrepreneurs back to running their businesses and doing what they love to do instead of grappling with municipal red tape, then we will have succeeded.”

Phase One of the Cut Red Tape initiative was launched in March 2011 and included asking City of Calgary employees what they felt could be done to improve customer service at The City of Calgary by cutting red tape. More than 180 submissions were received over two weeks and a handful of recommendations are being implemented.

To submit a suggestion to cut red tape, or learn more about the program, visit www.cutredtape.ca.

Cut Red Tape Phase Two Partners

Building Operators and Managers Association
Business Revitalization Zones and CBiZ
Calgary Economic Development
Calgary Chamber of Commerce
Canadian Federation of Independent Business
Canadian Home Builders Association, Calgary Region
Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Association
NAIOP Calgary - Commercial Real Estate Development Association
Progressive Group for Independent Business
Urban Development Institute
Alberta Professional Planners Institute
Alberta Association of Architects

- Daorcey from Mayor Nenshi's team