Goals, Objectives, Strategies, and Results — Continued

Goal 3: Public interests are safeguarded through:
• consumer protection and communication of public safety and awareness initiatives;
• an effective residential tenancy system;
• regulation of gaming and promotion of responsible gaming practices; and,
• liquor control decisions that reflect community standards.

Core Business Area:

Compliance and Consumer Services

Objective 1:

Services are provided that protect the public interest while promoting fairness and understanding in the marketplace

Strategies:

1. Implement new legislation and regulations for consumer industries.

2. Move regulated consumer industries toward delegated administrative authority.

3. Take targeted enforcement action to reduce consumer victimization.

4. Improve the quality of consumer information on film classifications and warnings.

5. Implement changes to regulations to focus resources on high-risk businesses involved in film and video distribution.

An important goal for the Compliance and Consumer Services Branch is protecting public interests through effective consumer protection and communication of public safety and awareness initiatives. Directly linked to this goal is the objective of delivering consumer protection and licensing services that promote fairness and understanding in the marketplace. This objective is supported through the strategies of taking enforcement action against consumer industries where appropriate and improving the quality and availability of consumer information.

Achievement of this objective serves to protect public interests by protecting consumers from victimization. It also benefits industries by providing a fair regulatory environment and enhancing consumer confidence in industries where the potential for consumer loss may be high.

A key performance measure identified to indicate progress made in meeting the objective are the dollars per full-time equivalent (FTE) in restitution resulting from consumer services industry investigations. This figure demonstrates the level of reduced consumer harm resulting from enforcement actions against illegal activity on the part of suppliers.

Objective 2:

Landlord-tenant disputes are resolved in a timely manner

Strategies:

1. Implement new residential tenancy legislation.

2. Improve the quality of residential tenancy information.

3. Provide residential tenancy information efficiently through the internet and information clinics.

Another important goal for Compliance and Consumer Services is an effective residential tenancy system. This goal is achieved through the objective of ensuring landlord and tenant disputes are resolved in a timely manner and ensuring that parties have access to an orderly and efficient dispute resolution process.

The objective of the timely resolution of landlord-tenant disputes is in turn linked to the strategy of improving the quality of residential tenancy information. The foundation for this strategy is the new Residential Tenancy Act and Manufactured Home Park Tenancy Act.

With access to improved information, landlords and tenants may be better informed of their rights and responsibilities under residential tenancy law. Parties who are better informed are more likely to resolve disputes between themselves, thereby reducing the demand on the residential tenancy arbitration system and in turn improving system access for those who remain in dispute. For parties who remain in dispute and proceed to arbitration for resolution, improved residential tenancy information ensures they are better prepared.

A key performance measure identified for residential tenancy is the percentage of residential tenancy arbitrations scheduled to take place within six weeks or less. Being able to schedule arbitrations on a timely basis indicates that the objective of providing timely resolution of landlord and tenant disputes is being met, enhancing the efficiency of the residential tenancy system.

Core Business Area:

Gaming Policy and Enforcement

Objective 3:

A comprehensive regulatory framework for gambling that balances economic activity with public safety

Strategies:

1. Streamline criteria for licensees and registrants.

2. Continue to develop, implement and enforce public interest standards.

3. Develop compliance sanctions and penalties for violations of the Gaming Control Act, regulations and policies.

4. Audit charities receiving over $50,000 in grants every four years.

5. Conduct random audits of grant recipients.

6. Audit major ticket raffle licensees every two years.

It is in the public interest to ensure gaming in British Columbia is conducted within a strong regulatory framework that balances economic activity with the responsible management and delivery of gaming. In order to reach this objective, criteria for access to gaming grants, and the processes for obtaining gaming event licenses or registering as a gaming worker, will continue to be reviewed and simplified. The elimination of unnecessary requirements will allow those involved in the gaming industry to conduct their business more efficiently, and will support community organizations in their efforts to provide important programs and services.

Public interest standards protect public safety by ensuring gaming is delivered in a responsible manner. Regularly conducted compliance audits may result in sanctions and penalties for individuals or organizations that violate gaming legislation and/or policies, and will help ensure the provision of gaming is legal and ethical. Grant recipients are also regularly audited to ensure that eligible community organizations receiving gaming funds use those funds to provide direct programs and services which significantly benefit local communities.

Objective 4:

Responsible gambling practices are encouraged through the Responsible Gambling Strategy

Strategies:

1. Maintain and enhance the Responsible Gambling Website.

2. Enhance the delivery and effectiveness of problem gambling treatment and prevention services across the province.

3. Increase awareness of responsible gambling initiative and treatment services available to those with a gambling problem.

4. Organize forums of experts to advise on responsible gambling initiatives.

The development and implementation of a comprehensive Responsible Gambling Strategy will protect the public interest by reducing the harmful impacts of excessive gambling and encouraging responsible gambling practices and healthy choices. Public education, treatment services and research are key elements of this strategy. Specific strategies designed to meet the objective of encouraging responsible gambling practices include expanding the Responsible Gambling Website, which provides a broad range of information and services related to excessive gambling. Enhanced service delivery in the areas of treatment and prevention services, which includes provincial coordinators working with specific communities to address specific needs, will provide targeted assistance to those who need it. Additional educational efforts will be made to increase awareness of this issue across the province. Establishing relationships with experts in the area of problem gambling and related fields will assist us in evaluating our program, ensuring it continues to meet high standards, utilizes the latest information and meets the needs of those seeking services.

In considering the targets established below, it is noteworthy that each 0.1 per cent reduction in the prevalence of problem gambling in the province means 1,000 fewer people with gambling problems.

Core Business Area:

Liquor Control and Licensing

Objective 5:

Local governments actively participate in assessing new liquor primary applications

Strategies:

1. Provide local governments with community health indicators to better assess licence applications.

2. Set terms and conditions for hours, size and entertainment that are consistent with community standards.

3. Reduce regulatory requirements and processes that do not impact public safety.

4. Streamline licensing and enforcement processes.

The elimination of liquor regulations that do not support public safety, and efficient licensing and enforcement processes, are two ways of making sure that liquor-related decisions reflect community standards. Reducing the number of regulatory requirements and streamlining the liquor licensing process allows the branch to focus on providing local governments with the community indicators they need to effectively review new licence applications, and to work with communities to make sure that new licences are issued in the public interest. The public interest and community standards are also safeguarded by ensuring that problem establishments are dealt with quickly in the enforcement hearing process.