Tag Archives: Ministry of Agriculture

Ontario Gets Highest Grade Ever For Red Tape Reduction

SIMCOE — Ontario received the province’s highest grade ever in an annual report card that evaluates governments across Canada based on their progress in cutting red tape.

The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) gave Ontario an A- in its 2019 Red Tape Report Card. This was a dramatic increase from the C+ that the previous government received in 2018 — which was tied for Ontario’s lowest grade ever. The jump from the province’s lowest to its highest grade ever is a result of the new government’s determination to cut the cost of doing business in Ontario and make companies more competitive.

“The last thing small business needs in Ontario is continued unnecessary, bureaucratic, regulation, rules, paperwork and red tape,” said Haldimand-Norfolk MPP Toby Barrett.

“I am proud that CFIB has recognized we mean business when it comes to cutting red tape,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade, who is the lead minister on reducing red tape and regulatory burden. “Ontario businesses face the highest cost to comply with regulations in any province — about $33,000 per company — and small businesses are being hit the hardest. Lowering the cost of doing business here will make companies more competitive so they can create and keep good jobs right here in Ontario. And we won’t stop until we get the job done.”

People across the government are rolling up their sleeves to lighten the regulatory burden on businesses, and Ontario will take this work to the next level this spring. Ministries are already pitching in with ideas for new actions to help meet an aggressive target – reducing regulatory red tape affecting businesses by 25 per cent. From the Premier on down, the government is continuously looking for ways to lower business costs to help create and protect good jobs for the people of Ontario.

QUICK FACTS

  • CFIB is a non-profit organization representing and advocating for the interests and concerns of more than 110,000 Canadian owners of small and mid-sized businesses.
  • It has published an annual Red Tape Report Card since 2011. CFIB says its goal is to hold the federal, provincial and territorial governments accountable for one of the biggest headaches for small businesses — excessive regulations.

QUOTES

“We’re committed to reducing red tape and easing regulatory burden for our businesses, so they can grow, create jobs and compete on a global level,” said Ernie Hardeman, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “I was so pleased to see the CFIB award Ontario its highest grade on their Red Tape Report Card. We’ll continue earning top marks by further lowering the costs of doing business in our province.” – Ernie Hardeman, Oxford MPP and Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

“Speaking to just about everyone in all sectors, red-tape is one of the single biggest hurdles community agencies and small businesses face in serving our region. It’s so great to see CFIB recognize the great work we are doing to make Ontario open for business.” – Will Bouma, Brantford-Brant

“This is great news for our province. Receiving this grade shows that our government is on the right track to creating an environment in Ontario where businesses will want to come and create jobs” – Toby Barrett, Haldimand-Norfolk MPP

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Statement by Minister Smith on the Passage of the Making Ontario Open for Business Act

Ontario’s Government for the People Cutting Red Tape to Help Create Jobs

Ontario Open for Business

Fight Stress With Shinrin Yoku Forest Bathing

Forest bathing= "serenity now." image:homeremediesmd.com
Forest bathing= “serenity now.” image:homeremediesmd.com

Stress is ever present in current society, both personal stress and workplace stress contribute to the well documented link, between stress and chronic conditions.   The most recent data available from Statistic Canada’s – National Population Health Survey, demonstrates that personal stress is predictive of the development of a chronic health condition over the next four years (Statistics Canada, 2003).  The long term impact of these chronic health conditions can result in significant activity limitation from heart attack, diabetes, migraine, or arthritis or back problems.  Even more daunting is the higher predictive value of death for individuals suffering from cancer, bronchitis/emphysema, heart disease or diabetes.

The practice of forest bathing itself is not a new concept.  Prior to the industrial revolution being “in nature” was part of everyday life.   The Japanese term Shinrin-yoku  meaning “taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing” was officially coined by the Japanese Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries in 1982. (Park et al. 2010)

This novel practice of being in nature, demonstrates a wide variety of health benefits from which individuals in modern society can stand to gain.  With the increasing amount of individuals living in urban settings the exposure to nature is diminishing.

Field studies performed in Japan measured salivary cortisol levels (more commonly known as “stress hormone”) in university individuals.  The students were divided into two groups, one to spend a day in a forest setting, the other in a city setting.   Lower levels of stress hormone, as well as lower blood pressure and pulse rate was found in individuals in forest location. (Park et al. 2010)

Not feeling ready to take the plunge into full force bathing? Forest sitting and contemplation of bathing can calm you.

Further evidence has been documented  to the demonstrate  the reduction of stress resulting from forest bathing, through the improvement immune function with exposure to the natural environment.  Given that immune function is key in the prevention of chronic diseases this evidence is exciting.   Natural killer cells as they are ingeniously named are cells within the immune system which kill tumours or virus infected cells, through the release of enzymes which break down the cells.   In research studies natural killer cells have been found to be elevated for seven days after the forest bathing trip (Qing, 2010).  This seven day window of improved immune function is great news for the weekend warrior in all of us.

Many of us who live in Brant-Halidmand-Norfolk are blessed with exposure to forest just outside our doorsteps.  This being said it doesn’t mean we always take advantage of it, between commuting to work, family and social commitments,  going from the house to the car may be the norm.  For the Silo, Ashley Beeton. 

Ashley Beeton

 

 

 

 

References

Park, B.J., Tsunetsugu, Y., Kasetani, T., Kagawa, T., & Miyazaki, Y. (2010) The physiological effects of Shinrin-yoku (taking in the forest atmosphere or forest bathing): evidence from field experiments in 24 forests across Japan.  Environ Health Prev Med,  15,18–26.

Statistics Canada. (2003) Stress and Well-being (No 82-003). Retrieved from http://www5.statcan.gc.ca/access_acces/alternative_alternatif.action?l=eng&loc=http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/82-003-x/2000003/article/5626-eng.pdf&t=Stress%20and%20well-being

Qing, Li. (2010) Effect of forest bathing trips on human immune function.  Environ Health Prev Med, 15,9–17.