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NUNAVUT
A website offering a one-stop shop for business permits, application forms and regulations will soon be used to simplify the process of starting a business in the territory.

BizPal, a website created in partnership with municipalities, provinces, territories and the federal government, will help small businesses be aware of all the regulations and permits with which they must be compliant. The website will help cut red tape, said Maxime Bernier, federal minister of state for small business and tourism, while he was in Iqaluit on Oct. 15 to announce the service.

"Time is money and when you try to look in all different departments and governments to start a business and be in compliance with regulations, it can be hard work," he said. "But with that website, BizPal, it will be easier for businesspeople."

As the former owner of Arctic Creations, a clothing, design and sewing supply store, Monica Ell said she knows the reality of starting your own business.

"As a former business owner, I know the difficulty of finding and filling in proper application forms. It can be quite the experience for businesses to find and comply with all complicated regulatory bodies or government permits," said Ell, who is now the territorial human resources minister. "If BizPal had existed, it would have been a lot simpler for me in the startup of my company."

She added she hopes the website will be up and running by the end of the year. The service will also eventually be available in Inuktitut, but Ell said she could not provide a timeline for when that will be in place.

Nunavut is the 12th among provinces and territories to sign on to the web service, with more than 645 municipalities already on board. Quebec is now the lone province without BizPal. The federal government invests $3 million annually into the service.

Nunavut's involvement with the website is great news and will simplify the process of starting a business, said Chris West, the executive director of the Baffin Regional Chamber of Commerce. He said sometimes people are discouraged by all the paperwork.

"In a lot of cases, when people look at this stuff (paperwork), it's like 'Wow,'" said West. "If it makes it easier for people to go through the red tape, I think it's a bonus for small businesses and anyone who is looking to start a small business. And it may encourage some of the small businesses now that are operating home-based to get more in tune with the whole process."

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