Did you know that about 95% of the businesses in Edmonton are small businesses? Our local business owners contribute greatly to the health and vitality of our city, and it’s important that we support them.
I know Edmonton to be a city of entrepreneurs, where we want to see each other succeed and we like to hear home-grown stories of success.
For a city whose culture is entrepreneurial, we should not hear so many stories of small businesses trying to get off the ground and facing so many unnecessary hurdles. Starting and operating a small business is difficult enough without having to navigate government processes.
To learn more, this past August I made a motion at City Council asking Administration to provide a report on opportunities for reductions in small business regulations. Small businesses that decide to alter the site on which they are located may need a development permit, which can be a time-consuming process. Then, once they’re ready to open, they can be delayed by the business licensing process.
The motion I brought to Council requests Administration to bring a report back to Council that:
identifies potential reductions and implications to timelines for Business Licences, Development Permits, and Building Permits by a target of one-third
identifies efficiencies to any other existing City regulations affecting small business
It is past time for us to make it easier for our favourite local Edmonton businesses to thrive.
We talk a lot about supporting Edmonton local businesses, and we ask you to shop local and support local, yet I hear almost weekly about the struggle small businesses face in getting up and running. It’s time for the City to adopt the same outlook and appreciation for local Edmonton companies that we expect from consumers.
I am anxiously awaiting the report from City Administration at the end of this year, and I look forward to sharing it with my constituents and all of Edmonton. As always, I’m happy to hear your feedback and opinions. If you would like to reach out directly, you can connect with me by phone at 780 496 8120, email at sarah.hamilton@edmonton.ca or via twitter @sjlhamilton.
