News release

Mandate of Province’s Innovative Red Tape Reduction Office Renewed

Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness

Nova Scotian businesses are saving more than $34 million a year thanks to the efforts of the Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service Effectiveness.

Today, Premier Stephen McNeil formally renewed the mandate of the office while praising its performance and leadership in making the province a better place for businesses.

“We created this office in 2015 to tackle red tape and support economic growth,” said Premier Stephen McNeil. “The results have exceeded all expectations and Nova Scotia is now an acknowledged leader across Canada for our work in making the regulatory system more efficient, accountable and effective.”

The Regulatory Accountability and Reporting Act, which created the Office, was due to expire after five years, if not renewed by the House of Assembly.

Quick Facts:

  • government exceeded its initial goal of $25 million in annual savings for businesses, reaching $34 million by the end of 2018
  • the office is now working to reduce regulatory burden to businesses by an additional $10 million by the end of 2020
  • the Canadian Federation of Independent Business rated Nova Scotia’s effort in improving the regulatory environment an “A” in its latest report card. The province’s rating has steadily improved since the creation of the office in 2015

Additional Resources:

The three-year review report of the Office of Regulatory Affairs and Service is available at: https://novascotia.ca/regulatoryopportunity/documents/Three_Year_Review_and_Appendix_B.pdf