The Province of Manitoba has named the members of its Red Tape Reduction Task Force.

The Agriculture and Food Processing sub-committee will consist of Blair Yakimoski, MLA for Transcona; Marilyn Braun-Pollon, Vice-President of Prairie and Agri-Business for the Canadian Federation of Independent Business and Dan Sierens, founder and president of Sierens Equipment Ltd.

“Tackling red tape at the farm-gate is our agri-business members’ top priority, so I welcome the opportunity to identify examples that are stifling innovation in the agriculture sector,” said Braun-Pollon. “We’re also encouraged the province recently committed to legislate regulatory accountability in 2017. It is pretty clear the government is serious about reducing red tape in Manitoba.”

The 14-member task force is made up of government MLA's and external stakeholders and will be co-chaired by Carmele Peter, president of Winnipeg-based Exchange Income Corporation and Shannon Martin, MLA for Morris. The task force will report to Finance Minister Cameron Friesen.

“Excess regulation and unnecessary red tape create a drag on economic growth, costing Manitoba businesses hundreds of millions of dollars per year,” said Friesen.  “Eliminating barriers that stifle growth will create jobs as we work toward rebuilding the Manitoba economy.”

The task force will identify regulatory requirements that stifle growth and will initially focus its efforts on four specific industries; agriculture and food-processing, transportation, non-profit organizations, and land development.

Consultations will begin in January of 2017 and recommendations and an action plan will be developed in the spring of 2017. Full implementation is anticipated by May 2018.

Manitoba currently is ranked last in the country in measurements of regulatory accountability according to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).