IMPROVED SERVICE FOR SMALL BUSINESS, RESOURCE SECTORS

VICTORIA – A new FrontCounter BC office and a partnership between FrontCounter BC and Small Business BC give South Island small and natural resource-based businesses single-window access to information and help needed to start or expand operations, Agriculture and Lands Minister Pat Bell and Small Business and Revenue Minister and Minister Responsible for Regulatory Reform Rick Thorpe announced today.

“Before FrontCounter BC, clients told us the authorization and permit process for natural resource-related business was time-consuming and frustrating,” said Bell. “Industry asked for change and we have delivered it. This is part of government’s ongoing, long-term goal to deliver services to citizens and business where and when needed.”

The new FrontCounter BC office shares space with Small Business Victoria, formerly known as Victoria Connects, which delivers services through the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue’s Small Business BC program.

“This is another client-centred step toward our goal of making British Columbia Canada’s most small-business-friendly jurisdiction,” said Thorpe. “Small Business BC and FrontCounter BC are working together to streamline and expand service delivery to all of government’s small business clients. It’s all about saving entrepreneurs time and helping British Columbia small businesses to keep leading Canada in job creation.”

Through the new partnership, clients of FrontCounter BC and Small Business BC in a growing number of British Columbia communities are able to access the services of both programs through each other’s offices. Clients also have direct phone access to toll-free FrontCounter BC and Small Business BC services. All FrontCounter BC offices in the province now provide access to Small Business BC Services.

Provincewide, the goals of the partnership between Small Business BC and FrontCounter BC are to:

· Increase awareness among clients about each agency’s services.

· Help clients access services offered through each partner’s full service office.

· Provide a single window for resource-based small business owners to access the programs and services needed in a timely manner.

“This unique partnership is a major step in our commitment to one-window community service,” said Ken Stratford of Small Business Victoria. “We now have FrontCounter BC, Small Business Victoria, powered by Small Business BC, the Women’s Enterprise Centre and Western Economic Diversification Canada all under one roof.”

In March 2006, FrontCounter BC took top honours in the cross-government integration category at the Premier’s Innovation and Excellence Awards. It provides complete information across the provincial natural resource sector and accepts applications and fees for up to 100 permits, licenses, tenures and related authorizations on behalf of partner agencies. Staff do not lobby to have projects approved, but liaise between clients and host ministries and agencies, advocating for timely decisions and responses.

Small Business BC is a non-profit organization funded by the Ministry of Small Business and Revenue and Western Economic Diversification Canada. It delivers services, government programs and timely business information to communities throughout British Columbia.

Entrepreneurs can access services and information related to start-up and expansion, financing options and sources, registration and licensing requirements, and government acts and regulations. A business library and bookstore, market research and consultation, business planning services, export consultation, business seminars and e-Business information are also available.

FrontCounter BC Victoria is a satellite office of FrontCounter BC Nanaimo. In addition to its single-window service for clients of provincial natural resource ministries and agencies, FrontCounter BC offers OneStop Business Registry services as well as access to a wide range of government information and services available online via a Community Access Terminal (CAT).

For more information on FrontCounter BC, visit www.frontcounterbc.gov.bc.ca online or call toll-free 1-877-855-3222 (FCBC). For more information on Small Business BC, visit www.smallbusinessbc.ca online or call toll-free 1-800-667-2272.

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Media contact:	Liz Bicknell Communications Director Ministry of Agriculture and Lands 250 356-2862 250 213-3072 (cell)	Theresa Lumsdon Communications Director Ministry of Small Business and Revenue 250 889-3502

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.