Steinbach MLA and Justice Minister Kelvin Goertzen recently announced that the Manitoba government has introduced annual legislation to reduce regulatory requirements imposed on businesses, industry and local governments.

“Our government remains committed to eliminating unnecessary barriers that hinder the efforts of business and local governments to grow and thrive,” said Goertzen. “The past two years have also provided lessons in how meetings and documents can better be managed through technology, which are incorporated in these changes.”

The reducing red tape and improving services act, 2022 proposes amendments to:

  • the Employment Standards Code that would allow for documents including notices and orders to be served by email;
  • the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology Amendment Act that would repeal unproclaimed provisions that required the Manitoba Institute of Trades and Technology to get ministerial approval before establishing or making significant changes to a program of study or a facility that receives government grants;
  • the Personal Property Security Act that would: clarify the type of statement that must be filed to re-register a financing statement; clarify that a clear demonstration of the intention of the parties is needed to create a security interest through a subordination agreement; require financing statements be filed electronically with certain exceptions; clarify when registrations are invalidated by an error; provide that the regulations may set out the form, content and manner of use of certain demands issued under the act; extend the time a secured party has to comply with certain demands to 30 from 20 days; and eliminate the special rule applicable to discharging registrations relating to trust indentures.
  • the Real Property Act that would allow the registrar general to make rules of practice specifying circumstances in which accepted status may be given to certain instruments as set out in regulation;
  • the Residential Tenancies Act that would remove the requirement for the members of an appeal panel to be in the same place for a hearing and also allow hearings to be held by electronic means; and
  • the Workers Compensation Act that would enable the board of directors to determine which program offered under the act is to be reviewed by an independent auditor, rather than the minister.

The minister noted proposed changes were developed to address priorities identified by both industry leaders and public service, and once enacted, these changes would improve efficiency and effectiveness in several key areas, making it easier for all Manitobans to conduct business.