Making the government more efficient—that was the goal of two bills tabled on the second day of the fall session at the legislature.
The first bill focused on reducing red tape to spur business in the natural resource sector, particularly with mining.
Timothy Halman, Minister of Service Efficiency as well as Environment and Climate Change, said this is part of the Progressive Conservative’s strategy to save money and time by removing unnecessary administrative barriers.
“We can protect our environment and safely and responsibly develop our natural resources. It does not need to be one or the other. We can and we must do both,” said Halman.
The province says they expect the efficiency measures in the bill to save businesses more than $800,000 a year, according to a news release.
One of the highlights in the bill is the removal of 8 low-risk permits that needed legislative change, but outside of the bill, the government plans to make changes to 150 permits.
A new board will be established called the Agriculture Appeal and Review Board, which will replace four existing boards.
In general, the bill streamlines processes and regulations for the natural resource sector, and modernizes outdates acts for clarity and to improve service, according to a news release.
Repealed acts are revoked, and acts with changes are amended. Here is a full list of the acts changed in the bill, provided by a department spokesperson:
- Agriculture Appeal and Review Board Act (new)
- Apprenticeship and Trades Qualifications Act (amend)
- Baby Chick Protection Act (repeal)
- Beaches Act (amend)
- Building Code Act (amend)
- Collection and Debt Management Agencies Act (amend)
- Companies Act (amend)
- Consumer Protection Act (amend)
- Corporations Registration Act (amend)
- Court and Administrative Reform Act (amend)
- Crown Lands Act (amend)
- Direct Sellers’ Regulation Act (amend)
- Embalmers and Funeral Directors Act (amend)
- Farm Registration Act (amend)
- Farmer’s Fruit, Produce and Warehouse Associations Act (repeal)
- Health Protection Act (amend)
- Invest Nova Scotia Act (amend)
- Imitation Dairy Products Act (repeal)
- Margarine Act (repeal)
- Potato Industry Act (repeal)
- Public Highways Act (amend)
- Regulatory Accountability and Reporting Act (amend)
The second bill, tabled by Justice Minister Becky Druhan, aims to streamline some parts of the justice system.
For instance, it introduces a process for officials to seize property obtained through crime that is worth less than $125,000. The government uses the seized funds to support the victims of crime and other crime prevention initiatives, Druhan said.
Before this bill, there was a lengthy and costly court process to seize that property, said Druhan.
The government will also introduce an investigative tool used in other places that requires people suspected of profiting from crime to prove where they got their money and wealth.
“So, quite simply, crime shouldn’t pay,” Druhan said.
When property seizures are contested, they will still go through the court system, she said.
Another change will give the province’s chief medical examiner the power to appoint a qualified person to chair death review committees, freeing up the examiner to do other work.
Druhan’s bill also introduces several changes that she said would “eliminate outdated processes and introduce modern tools.”
The bills are still before the house and will head to a second reading later before they become law.
