Canada chems slam high Ontario regulatory costs, changes wanted

17 November 2010 14:38  [Source: ICIS news]

TORONTO (ICIS)--High regulatory costs in Ontario have become a hurdle to new investment in Canada’s largest province, Canadian chemical producers and other industry trade groups said on Wednesday.

Chemistry Industry Association of Canada (CIAC) joined trade groups in fertilizers, chemical distribution, paint and coatings, rubber and pesticides in a call for changes and more transparency.

According to a joint report sponsored by the groups, each Ontarian paid on average about Canadian dollar (C$) 4,500 ($4,400)/year for the regulatory and permitting system – over C$1,000/year more than they pay for healthcare.

"If Ontario wants to attract new investments it needs to clarify exactly how its regulatory process is going to work," said Jayson Myers, president of Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

The groups called on the government to create a system to coordinate and oversee the regulatory process.

Furthermore, the government should conduct “impact analyses” before adopting new regulations, and regulators would need to have better training, they said.

($1 = C$1.02)

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By: Stefan Baumgarten
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