2023 Burden Reduction Report: Delivering better services and a stronger economy

Message from the Premier

Since we were first elected to office in 2018, our government has been working hard to make it easier, faster and more convenient for families and businesses to connect to government services.

All across government, we’re putting customers first, reducing and eliminating unnecessary regulations that hold businesses back and cost people time and money. 

Over the past five years, we have made changes that are now saving businesses more than $900 million each and every year. And we can already see the results.

Today, Ontario is the fastest-growing jurisdiction in all North America, with billions of dollars in new investments and hundreds of thousands of new jobs.

The 2023 Burden Reduction Report outlines our progress and ongoing work to reduce unnecessary red tape.

From allowing pharmacists to prescribe medications for many common ailments to moving more services and information online, we’re making it less complicated and more convenient for families and businesses to interact with government.

We will continue to find solutions to make access to government simpler, faster and better, saving Ontarians time and money.

We’ll never stop working to improve government services and reduce unnecessary burdens on people and businesses.

Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario

Message from the Minister

No government creates regulations with the sole intention of making them expensive or difficult to comply with. But over time, and left unchecked, that’s exactly what happens. Regulations remain on the books long after their original purpose has passed.

Without an ongoing effort to track down wasteful, outdated, or burdensome regulations, the number of regulations, as well as the cost and time required to comply with them can only go up.

Under the leadership of Premier Ford, we’ve established a dedicated Ministry of Red Tape Reduction to lead ongoing burden reduction work. We’ve implemented a whole-of-government approach to tracking and reducing burden and eliminated more than $900 million in annual compliance costs.

In the 2023 Burden Reduction Report, we take a closer look at how our government is delivering better services for people reducing costs for businesses and generating real results for Ontarians.

This report details the substantial progress we've made over the past year, including a new emphasis on reducing burdens for individuals. But it’s also a promise from us to continue building on this success.

Looking ahead, we will continue reducing burdens for people by making services more accessible. We will continue to generate cost savings for businesses. We will continue to consult with stakeholders and solicit ideas through our red tape reduction portal. And we will do all this while protecting and enhancing those rules that are critical to protecting people’s health and safety, and our environment.

Ontario is a place of limitless possibilities. We are all united by our shared vision of a province where innovation knows no bounds and our ability to build is unhindered by red tape.  

Parm Gill, Minister of Red Tape Reduction

Introduction

The 2023 Burden Reduction Report is aligned with the Ontario government's commitment to alleviate the burdens faced by both individuals and businesses when accessing government programs and services.

Beginning this year, the government is sharing our progress in easing red tape and administrative challenges for individuals, alongside our established practice of reporting on burden reduction for businesses.

This report shares what the key regulatory ministries have accomplished in the past year to support the people and businesses of Ontario.

Making life easier for Ontarians

The concept of "red tape" or burdens for individuals encompasses government processes, services, or regulatory requirements that impose unnecessary time and financial costs on individuals. This includes procedures that are redundant, outdated, unclear, overly prescriptive, poorly designed, or conflicting, resulting in extended wait times for accessing services or extra cost. Whether individuals are interacting directly with the government or engaging with services or products subject to government regulations, they encounter these challenges on a daily basis. Here are some of the ways the government is eliminating these burdens.

Easier access to medical care: pharmacists prescribe relief for common ailments

In January 2023, Ontario made it more convenient for people to connect to the care they need by creating a new way for individuals to receive medical care in their community.

By authorizing local pharmacists to assess and prescribe medications for 13 common ailments such as rashes, pink eye, insect bites, and urinary tract infections, people can access care at their local pharmacy without requiring a doctor’s office visit.

As with visiting a family physician or walk-in clinic, there is no extra cost to Ontarians for receiving a prescription from a pharmacist for common ailments when showing an Ontario health card.

Going digital at Ontario Parks

In recent years, the popularity of Ontario's parks – particularly Algonquin Provincial Park and Arrowhead Provincial Park – has surged, leading to increased wait times and road congestion at park entrances.

To address these challenges, Ontario Parks has introduced digital entry options for both overnight stays and advance daily vehicle permits in select parks.

This modern approach simplifies the visitor experience, reducing registration time upon arrival. Instead of physical permits, visitors receive digital permits via email. Park staff can quickly verify these permits using a web-based mobile app by inputting the visitor's licence plate.

Digital entry allows for visitors to proceed directly into the park for day use, to their campsite or to begin their backcountry camping journey without registering at an office, which means less time spent in line and more time spent enjoying the great outdoors.

Since introducing digital entry, Algonquin Provincial Park has experienced a reduction of up to six-kilometre-long line-ups during fall colours, to a handful of vehicles lining up during peak times, increasing the time people spend outdoors instead of waiting in their cars.

Arrowhead Provincial Park shares a similar success story. The days of congested lines during fall colours and peak winter season are no longer. No more parking lot staff stationed to turn visitors away, no more snaking lines to access the park. Digital entry has ushered in an era of smooth-flowing park visits.

Ontario Parks has also launched its online store, hosted on the Canadian e-commerce platform Shopify, which means popular park merchandise is now available year-round.

And 100 per cent of the proceeds from Ontario Parks merchandise sales are reinvested directly into nurturing and sustaining the parks. Each transaction becomes a contribution towards the preservation and enhancement of these natural sanctuaries, ensuring that the legacy of Ontario's parks remains vibrant and enduring.

Ontario's virtual accessible parking permits drive convenience

Ontario has made it easier than ever to apply for, replace and renew accessible parking permit by adding additional features to the online Accessible Parking Permits Service at ontario.ca/accessibleParking.

Through this improved virtual tool, changing your address, applying for travelers permits or even motorcycle stickers have also become as simple as the click of a button.

This tool is saving Ontarians time as approximately 99 per cent of Accessible Parking Permit applications can be submitted through the online service, with over 170,000 applications processed through the tool as of the end of July 2023.

Making it easier to get around the Greater Golden Horseshoe Region

When you take transit, transferring from one municipality's transit system to another should be simple, convenient and affordable.

With 1.8 million cross-boundary trips made daily between Toronto and the regions of York, Durham, and Peel alone, commuters have had to pay multiple fares, preventing seamless travel and adding significant cost. In response, Ontario's Ministry of Transportation (MTO) has embarked on an ambitious mission to integrate fares across the Greater Toronto Hamilton Area (GTHA).

Beginning in March 2022, Ontario made local transit fares free for riders connecting between GO Transit and local transit agencies in the Greater Golden Horseshoe. Building on this, in the 2023 Provincial Budget, the government pledged to remove double fare payments between the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) and connecting agencies.

Integrating fares, however, is just one way the province is delivering convenience for transit riders. From Summer 2022 to Summer 2023, the province introduced significant enhancements to the PRESTO open payment system in phases, so riders can get on transit with a simple tap of a credit or debit card – including credit and debit cards on smartphones and smartwatches.

The most recent launch of credit and debit payment on the TTC in August 2023 follows the successful introduction of these same payment options across GO Transit, UP Express, Brampton Transit, Burlington Transit, Durham Region Transit, Hamilton Street Railway, MiWay (in Mississauga), Oakville Transit and York Region Transit.

Today, credit and debit payments are accepted on all local transit systems in the GTHA that accept PRESTO, including GO Transit and the TTC.

From in-line to online: ServiceOntario’s booking system upgrades

In January 2023, the Ontario government launched its new, enhanced ServiceOntario appointment booking system, making it easier to book an appointment at ServiceOntario centres throughout the province.

This time-saving tool allows customers to book multiple services in a single appointment on the device of their choice or book a single appointment for the whole family.

Users identify their accessibility needs ahead of an appointment, helping to make their booked service more effective.  

Over 300,000 appointments have already been booked online, with more than 50,000 appointments booked monthly and growing. Now with its newest appointment booking upgrade, it is easier than ever to have a hassle-free and quick trip to ServiceOntario.

ServiceOntario plans to expand online appointment bookings to 120 locations by the end of 2023.

Virtual appointments to renew health cards reduces accessibility barriers

Until now, renewing your health card required a trip to a ServiceOntario centre. But travelling to a ServiceOntario centre can be difficult for some seniors, individuals with accessibility needs, or those living in remote or underserved communities.

Thanks to Ontario’s new virtual appointments with a ServiceOntario customer service representative, this barrier has been removed.

Virtual appointments is a new pilot service involving a live video call with a representative to provide easier access to the renewal process.

Booking virtual appointments is simple and easy for those with a photograph and signature exemption or who are 18 years of age or older and with a valid photo health card that is not expired and does not require a new photo/signature.

Removing this barrier saves people time and money, while providing a more accessible renewal process for those who cannot go in-person.

Modernizing the marriage licence process

Soon-to-be-married couples have one less thing to worry about thanks to ServiceOntario’s new online marriage licence application service. Applicants simply submit identification and the necessary supporting documents to a participating municipality through a secure portal – anytime, anywhere.

This allows municipalities to ensure that correct and complete applications are processed, allowing for a more efficient system that saves both time and money. Once the municipality verifies and approves the application, the couple can pick up their licence.  

This initiative is operating as a pilot. Currently, six municipalities – Kingston, Kenora, Ingersoll, Timmins, Uxbridge and Cobourg – are offering the online application service, with an additional five joining in November 2023.

Initial feedback collected from users has been overwhelmingly positive, with a 91 per cent approval rating in ServiceOntario’s “Rate Our Service” user survey.

Additional features and municipalities will continue to be added, with the aim of making the service available province-wide in 2025.

Making life more affordable: Ontario's fee adjustment update

The Ontario government made a promise to help keep costs down for families and businesses experiencing a high cost of living. That’s why we cancelled fee increases for various driver, vehicle and carrier products that were set to go up two per cent on July 1, 2023.

These fee adjustments build on previous measures introduced by the province to cut costs for millions of Ontario vehicle owners. The Ontario government cancelled fees for future licence plate renewals and refunded licence plate sticker renewal fees paid since March 2020 for passenger vehicles, light duty vehicles under 3,000 kg, motorcycles and mopeds. Tolls on Highways 412 and 418 were also permanently removed.

Modernizing air brake renewals: easing the process

Ontario is working closely with the trucking industry to make it easier to renew a driver's licence with a (Z) endorsement for commercial truck and bus drivers. Drivers were previously required to complete an air brake knowledge test in-person at a DriveTest centre. These in-person tests were inconvenient and often hard to get to because people who drive trucks are often on the road and rarely work regular business hours. 

Now, before heading to a DriveTest center for renewal, drivers with a (Z) endorsement can complete a convenient online learning module at home, in the office, or anywhere there is an internet connection. The learning module assesses and refreshes knowledge of the rules and regulations. This approach also aligns Ontario's requirements with other Canadian and U.S. jurisdictions.

Helping Ontario businesses thrive

Reducing burdens for businesses means a systematic effort to simplify and streamline administrative processes, regulatory requirements, and other operational aspects that introduce unnecessary time, cost, or complexity for businesses. Our goal is to create a more efficient environment for businesses to operate in, enabling them to focus on their core activities and contribute to Ontario’s economic growth and job creation.

Streamlined development approvals for housing solutions

The development approval process for a four-unit apartment building and a 40-storey residential tower used to be comparable.

To expedite housing proposals and cut process delays, we have eliminated site plan control requirements for residential developments of up to 10 units, excluding land lease communities and projects within specified areas.

This streamlining reduces approval bottlenecks, while building and fire code requirements as well as building permits continue to ensure that public health and safety are protected.

Lengthy approval processes hinder housing construction and escalate costs. The government is committed to modernizing the land use planning system so that Ontarians can find a home that suits their needs and budget.

These reforms align with the province's commitment to get at least 1.5 million homes built by 2031.

Breaking barriers for health care professionals: improving Ontario's licensing process

Ontario has pioneered ground-breaking "As of Right" rules, becoming the first province to grant swift entry to highly-trained physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and medical laboratory technologists already licensed or registered in other Canadian jurisdictions. These health care workers can now begin providing essential care sooner, enhancing health care accessibility for Ontarians in hospitals and long-term care homes.

This move eliminates the requirement for registration with an Ontario health regulatory college before they begin their practice in Ontario. Instead “As of Right” rules allow those professionals up to six months to complete registration after they have begun their practice. This means physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists and medical laboratory technologists licensed or registered in another Canadian jurisdiction are able to practice in Ontario several weeks to months earlier.

Creating more lifeguard opportunities

Ontario has lowered the minimum age requirement to be a lifeguard, assistant lifeguard and aquatic instructor from 16 to 15 years of age. This adjustment creates more opportunities for lifeguard coverage, thus enhancing safety at public pools, recreational camps, and waterfronts across the province.

This modification is in alignment with the Lifesaving Society's revised certification course criteria for age eligibility.

By aligning with industry norms for minimum age requirements, this alteration tackles workforce challenges within the sector.

Enhancing miner health and safety: a regulatory milestone

Long-term exposure to diesel exhaust while on the job can be a significant cause of lung cancer for miners. Unions have been calling for a reduction of how much diesel particulate miners can be exposed to while underground.

New regulatory adjustments are redefining safety norms and streamlining compliance in Ontario.

Requirements under The Occupational Health and Safety Act have been aligned with the mining industry's evolving landscape. The clarifications and streamlining of existing provisions removed confusion, making it easier for businesses to comply with the law, while improving worker health and safety.

The newly introduced changes also improve ventilation and diesel equipment requirements by focusing on air quality and the equipment being used, rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, while also lowering the amount of diesel particulate miners are allowed to be exposed to underground.

The alterations to the ventilation and diesel equipment requirements also mean substantial cuts in electricity consumption for underground mines, where ventilation systems can account for up to half of all electricity costs each year.

These changes are expected to save the mining industry over $100 million per year, while improving air quality for workers.

By listening to unions' concerns and capitalizing on industry’s recommendations, these regulatory changes represent progress at the crossroads of worker well-being, business efficiency, and industry-wide resilience.

Accelerating efficiency: online tool transforms car dealership registration

There are over 7,000 new and used car dealerships in Ontario, accounting for 4.8 million transactions at ServiceOntario through vehicle sales and dealership transactions alone.

Thanks to the Digital Dealership Registration online tool, staff no longer need to go in-person to ServiceOntario to register their cars.

The new online application allows dealers to register vehicles, issue permits, and licence plates from their own showroom ensuring all processes are streamlined transactions and allowing customers can drive away with their new vehicle sooner than ever before.

Since its launch in 2022, nearly 400 dealerships have been registered, accounting for over 5,300 transactions with the goal of having over 1,000 dealerships registered by the end of the 2023-24 fiscal year.

This tool was developed in consultation with the sector to ensure the online application addressed the sector’s biggest frustrations and will continue to evolve through ongoing consultation.

Empowering Ontario’s low-carbon future: improving carbon capture and storage

Amid the global momentum towards a net-zero emissions economy, Ontario is seizing the opportunity to enable carbon capture and storage (CCS), starting by addressing regulatory hurdles.

Ontario has embarked on a phased strategy to dismantle these barriers and unleash the potential of carbon storage.

A phased plan was developed to ensure that while we venture into new territory, the province remains steadfast in its commitment to responsibility and safety – safeguarding both our environment and our communities.

The first phase was amending the Oil, Gas and Salt Resources Act to lift the ban on carbon storage. Next, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry developed a roadmap outlining the next steps in creating a tailored regulatory framework for carbon storage.

The urgency is clear: industry interest is growing, and the environmental impact of carbon emissions is becoming more evident.

By embracing CCS, Ontario supports job creation, innovation, and economic growth. The framework provides clarity, aligning with broader emissions targets and Ontario’s Low-Carbon Hydrogen Strategy.

Ontario is paving the way for sustainable prosperity, evolving our energy system, creating local jobs and attracting investment, all while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Ontario's redefined approach to reduced load periods

We’re supporting the trucking and agri-business industry by letting them better plan routes and delivery times to minimize costs, while protecting road infrastructure.

In Ontario, Reduced Load Periods (RLPs) protect our roads during spring thaw, minimizing risk of permanent damage caused by heavy truck loads.

These restrictions, typically enforced from March 1 to May 31, curb axle weights for all vehicles, with some exceptions. While effective for keeping roads in good shape, RLPs create logistical and economic challenges to the trucking and agri-business sectors, limiting their capacity to transport goods efficiently.

In collaboration with the Ontario Good Roads Association, the Ministry of Transportation has developed the Reduced Period Onset and Removal Model.

This tool helps municipalities determine the best timing for reduced load periods during the spring thaw, including shortening the duration when conditions permit. It uses real-time environmental data to strategically determine RLPs and gives businesses advance notice and technical justifications for RLP decisions.

Tracking our progress

To establish clear guidelines for crafting, altering, or revoking legislation, regulations, policies, and forms, and to guide our burden reduction work across government the Modernizing Ontario for People and Businesses Act, 2020, (MOPBA) was created.

This legislation carries significant implications for how we approach policy development and regulatory amendments and provides a framework for making Ontario a modern regulator by reducing burdens on businesses and other regulated entities.

This framework consists of the following guiding principles:

• Recognized national and international standards should be adopted
• Less onerous compliance requirements should apply to small businesses than to larger businesses
• Digital services that are accessible to regulated entities should be provided
• Regulated entities that demonstrate excellent compliance should be recognized
• Unnecessary reporting should be reduced, and steps should be taken to avoid requiring regulated entities to provide the same information to the government repeatedly
• An instrument should focus on the user by communicating clearly, providing for reasonable response timelines, and creating a single point of contact
• An instrument should specify the desired result that regulated entities must meet, rather than the means by which the result must be achieved

We are providing a ministry-by-ministry breakdown of regulatory reduction progress for the fourth time as part of our commitment to accountability and transparency. As of June 29, 2018, we started with a baseline tally of Regulatory Compliance Requirements.

Regulatory Compliance Requirements (RCRs) are like the rulebook that businesses need to follow to access government programs, engage in commercial activities, or operate in regulated industries.They are often articulated in regulations and other instruments through terms like "shall," "must," and "required." Essentially, RCRs represent the necessary steps that businesses and organizations must undertake to adhere to legal standards. These rules play a crucial role in safeguarding the public interest, economic stability, health, safety, and the environment.

While many RCRs serve an essential purpose, some have become outdated, redundant, and no longer fit with how fast things change in the province and the world. Instead of solving an important problem, these old rules end up causing extra work for people and businesses.

In the last five years, Ontario has reduced the number of Regulatory Compliance Requirements (RCRs) by six per cent. Since June 29, 2018, this represents an average annual reduction of 1.2 per cent. This result highlights the ongoing commitment to implementing measures that alleviate unnecessary burdens within ServiceOntario, transit, housing, and employment programs. These measures lead to tangible time and cost savings for Ontarians.

Regulatory compliance requirements by ministry

Table excludes ministries that do not have any regulatory requirements.

Reducing regulatory compliance costs

Over the past five years, our government has reduced the cost of doing business in Ontario. Since June 29, 2018, we have enacted initiatives that removed an estimated $939 million in gross annual compliance costs that would have otherwise been incurred by businesses, not-for-profit organizations, and the broader public sector.

While the addition of new compliance costs is sometimes unavoidable when implementing new programs, policies or regulations, the Modernizing Ontario for People and Businesses Act, 2020, requires that every $1 of increased compliance costs be offset by $1.25 in compliance cost-savings.

When including new compliance costs introduced since June 2018, regulated entities are saving an estimated net amount of $819 million per year.

Engaging stakeholders to spearhead burden reduction

To help streamline government services and reduce regulatory burden, the Ministry of Red Tape Reduction has been actively engaging with a diverse group of stakeholders. The objective is to discover opportunities for substantial red tape reduction across various sectors.

During the spring of 2023, MRTR embarked on a series of minister-led roundtable consultations focused on three sectors: retail, not-for-profit, and the private sector supply chain.

To support these discussions, MRTR collaborated closely with experts from academia, industry associations, and businesses to pinpoint the barriers caused by excessive regulations and to chart out potential policy remedies.

MRTR will continue working across the government and advocating for concerns identified by stakeholders, while joining forces with other ministries to craft sustainable policy solutions.

The ministry will also continue to solicit additional burden reduction ideas from stakeholders and members of the public through our online red tape reduction portal, which can be found at ontario.ca/redtape.

Through our collective work to reduce red tape, we are paving the way for a brighter, more streamlined and prosperous future.  As we continue this work together, we are building an Ontario where regulatory burdens are minimized, services are easier to access, and economic opportunities are maximized.

What people are saying about the impact of our work to reduce regulatory burdens

Simplifying the process for outdoor enthusiasts to enter Ontario Parks with the new digital entry is exciting. It will get tourists and local park users to their sites and their favorite outdoor activities faster. As we witnessed during the pandemic, more people are interested in exploring the outdoors as a means to relax, unwind and engage in healthy activities. Making it easier for them to do that is of great benefit to all.

Laurie Marcil, Executive Director, Nature & Outdoor Tourism Ontario

Accessible Parking Permits Portal is exceptional! In minutes I was able to make the application and in less than a week I had the permits! It’s safe, fast and user friendly!

Mariana Erimiea, Finance Coordinator, The Tamir Foundation

Saves us time in not having to go and wait in line at a busy ServiceOntario office. The portal could not be any easier, wham bam, it’s done. I love that thing!!!

Denise Dupuis, Accounting Clerk, Cochrane Temiskaming Resource Centre (CTRC)

The Toronto Region Board of Trade applauds the Ontario government's work to eliminate double fares between GO Transit and local transit systems in the 905, along with the TTC and connecting agencies. Coupled with the government’s newly introduced credit and debit card fare payment features across local agencies, an integrated fare system will save riders money and help them take full advantage of the system, while also making the most of our regional transit network, reducing chronic congestion, and delivering faster travel times for people across the Toronto Region.

Giles Gherson, President and CEO, Toronto Region Board of Trade

York University commends the Ontario government’s commitment to eliminate double fares between GO Transit and local transit systems, along with the TTC, and connecting agencies. This important change will have a significant impact on our community as over 74 per cent of our students use public transit to travel to our campuses.  An integrated fare system will create a more affordable, accessible and efficient transportation network for people across Greater Toronto while alleviating congestion and ensuring faster travel for all.

Rhonda Lenton, President & Vice-Chancellor, York University

The Town of Cobourg is thrilled to be partnering with the Province of Ontario on the marriage licence modernization program. As we move forward with our customer service strategy at the Town of Cobourg, being able to offer online marriage licence applications is in direct line with our goals to improve the connection with our customers and the efficiency of service we provide.

Brent Larmer, Director of Legislative Services and Municipal Clerk, Town of Cobourg

Service Timmins is happy to participate in a project that will help us modernize one of our services. We typically receive roughly 200 marriage licence applications each year. By submitting the initial application online, residents can save time and have their application approved within one to two business days, provided that all required documents are submitted.

Steph Palmateer, Director of Community Services, Timmins

The Digital Dealership Registration initiative is an example of how technology can assist modern Ontario dealerships in business. Enabling car dealerships to register vehicles online and issue permits and licence plates directly to purchasers reduces paperwork, delays and red tape for dealers and consumers. This government deserves recognition for bringing this project, with years of planning and piloting behind it, to fruition. The expansion of DDR to used vehicle dealerships, is a milestone the Used Car Dealers Association of Ontario is proud to be part of.

James F. Hamilton, Interim Manager and Legal Services Director at the Used Car Dealers Association of Ontario (UCDA)

As an organization with a long history rooted in promoting health and safety in the global mining industry, NORCAT welcomes the introduction of new rules aimed at improving the safety of Ontario’s mine workers. These changes will help to reduce risks and hazards in underground mines, contributing to a safer working environment for all. We are proud to support the Government of Ontario’s commitment to prioritizing the safety of Ontario’s mining workforce, and look forward to a healthier, safer and more productive future for the industry.

Jason Bubba, Chief Operating Officer, NORCAT