MAKING LIFE EASIER FOR SASKATCHEWAN BUSINESS

Information Services Corporation (ISC) is developing an online portal to provide a more convenient and cost-effective means to deliver government services to business. Currently, businesses are required to deal with several government ministries in order to conduct business in the province - the new service will provide a single point of access to most business services provided by government.

"To be competitive in attracting business and support the growing private sector, Saskatchewan must improve its online services to business," Minister responsible for ISC June Draude said. "This initiative will make it much easier to do business in our province, streamline processes across government - ultimately reduce costs for businesses and government."

The first phase of the project, an online business registry service, will be developed and implemented in early 2011. The business registry service will allow new businesses to complete the steps required to register a business using one easy-to-use online application. The first phase will offer three registration services:

• Register a business through Corporations Branch;
• Register as an employer with the Workers' Compensation Board; and
• Register for Provincial Sales Tax (PST) with the Ministry of Finance.

By the end 2012, ISC will begin to expand the services offered beyond registration services and will provide business owners with a single point of access to most other government services for business. Business owners will self manage their online profiles and work in the online environment to get necessary permits and licenses, remit taxes and comply with other government requirements. The total cost of the portal is expected to be $35 million over the next five years.

"Currently in Saskatchewan, businesses have to go to several different places to receive services from government," Minister responsible for Enterprise Saskatchewan Ken Cheveldayoff said. "ISC's new business portal will change all that, becoming the one-stop online service for business in Saskatchewan."

"The regulatory requirements to start and operate a business in Saskatchewan can be daunting and costly," Vice-president of Saskatchewan and Agri-business of the Canadian Federation of Independent Business Marilyn Braun-Pollon said. "We're pleased to see another recommendation of the Regulatory Modernization Council, to expand and enhance on-line services, being adopted by the provincial government. We're hopeful this initiative will streamline business registration and save entrepreneurs valuable time and money."

The recently announced transfer of Corporations Branch to ISC, which will occur in fall 2010, is crucial to the success of the portal. The Corporations Branch will serve as the foundation to the new online business registration service and the subsequent business services portal, and will enhance ISC's already significant registry expertise.

About ISC

Information Services Corporation (ISC) is the provincial Crown corporation responsible for the administration of land titles, vital statistics, survey and personal property registries, as well as related geographic information and mapping systems.

-30-

For more information, contact:

Grant Bastedo
Information Services Corporation
Regina
Phone: 306-787-3447
Email: grant.bastedo@isc.ca
Cell: 306-533-2365