2003/04 – 2005/06 SERVICE PLAN Ministry of Management Services

Resource Summary

Deregulation

The Minister of Management Services is responsible for the following legislation:

BC OnLine
British Columbia Buildings Corporation
Document Disposal
Electronic Transactions
Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
Legislative Assembly Allowances and Pension
Legislative Assembly Management Committee
Legislative Assembly Privilege
Legislative Library
Legislative Procedure Review
Ministry of Provincial Secretary and Government Services (ss. 1, 2 (4), 4 & 8)
Public Sector Pension Plans (Part 2)
Purchasing Commission
Queen’s Printer
Statistics

Management Services conducted a deregulation review in late 2001 of the above legislation, and as directed by Cabinet on July 10, 2002, the Ministry established performance targets to demonstrate how its deregulation commitments would be met by June 2004. Government’s deregulation agenda is an ambitious one, consistent with the New Era commitments; however, it is also critical that the deregulation agenda boost efficiency, stimulate innovation and improve competitiveness in British Columbia.

In accordance with the Key Projects outlined in the Premier’s Letter to the Minister of Management Services which instructed the Minister “to review the Information and Privacy legislation to increase openness in Government and to reduce compliance costs”, a comprehensive review of the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPP Act) was conducted to recommend possible ways of eliminating unnecessary regulation. It was determined that most of the regulatory requirements in the FOIPP Act do not affect the general public and that the regulatory requirements for Government officials are intended to ensure the rights and interests of the public are safeguarded. Furthermore, elimination of these could have consequences contrary to one of the key principles of the deregulation initiative, which is to make it easier and less expensive for the general public to deal with Government. Based on the foregoing, it has been determined that — although the FOIPP Act contains the majority of the Ministry’s regulatory requirements — only a small number can be eliminated.

Secondly, Government intends to introduce legislation in the Spring 2003 legislative session to protect the personal information of British Columbians held by the private sector. This Act will achieve a number of important purposes. If British Columbia does not pass legislation, it will be covered by the federal private sector privacy Act — a complex, regulatory-burdensome privacy framework. A provincial Act excuses British Columbia from federal coverage and allows a privacy regime to be developed in cooperation with the private sector that is plain language and “regulation-light”. Extensive consultations have confirmed that a provincial Act can reduce regulation in some areas and at least clarify regulatory requirements where regulation is needed. The end result, however, will be a net increase of regulation with respect to the use of personal information in the private sector. Fortunately, British Columbia’s private sector not only prefers provincial regulation but also supports that regulation as a foundation for electronic commerce and other strategic economic objectives.

Furthermore, the Ministry will also be introducing a new Procurement Act in Spring 2003, which will eliminate several regulatory requirements of the Purchasing Commission Act, and addresses the New Era commitment to “restore open tendering on Government contracts”.

Deregulation Initiatives