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November 3, 2003 - NEWS RELEASE
New act to cut red tape will help Olympic construction timeline
Burnaby, B.C. – The Independent Contractors and Businesses Association says the government’s new Significant Projects Streamlining Act will reduce bottlenecks in the delivery of key projects, cut rising costs stemming from unnecessary delays and help attract and retain investment and jobs for British Columbians.
The act, which was introduced in the legislature today, will allow projects designated by the government as offering significant economic, social and environmental benefits to the province to be subject to an expedited project review and approval process.
“The new act couldn’t have come at a better time, especially as we embark on a wide range of projects in preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics,” said Phillip Hochstein, Executive Vice-President of the ICBA. “If we are to deliver Olympic and other critical infrastructure projects on time and on budget, we need to get rid of the straightjacket of red tape that only leads to lost time, lost money and lost economic opportunities for British Columbians.”
Hochstein however said the government needs to move forward with further bold measures to ensure that bureaucracy in the decision-making and approval processes does not compromise smaller projects not covered by the new act.
“Red tape is not just bad for the big projects, it’s bad for all projects,” Hochstein said. “When areas outside of the Lower Mainland are crying out for investment and economic activity, it still takes years to get many projects off the ground.
“The new act should be the first step to streamline the entire project approval process. We can’t underestimate the economic losses caused by layers of bureaucracy and paperwork.”
The ICBA expressed confidence that health and safety, environmental and other standards will continue to be protected under the provisions of the new act and urged local governments to work with provincial agencies, ministries and project proponents to ensure the success of the new legislation.
| ICBA is the voice of BC's construction industry. For further information, or if you have any questions or comments regarding this article, please contact ICBA. |
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