Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019

Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Long title An Act to reduce burdens on people and businesses by enacting, amending and repealing various Acts and revoking various Regulations
Royal assent	December 10, 2019
Legislative history
Bill citation	Bill 132
Introduced by	Prabmeet Sarkaria MPP, Associate Minister of Small Business and Red Tape Reduction
First reading	October 28, 2019
Second reading	November 7, 2019
Third reading	December 10, 2019
Status: Current legislation

The Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2019 (French : Loi de 2019 pour mieux servir la population et faciliter les affaires) is an act of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario that made a number of changes to regulations in the province.

Provisions

The legislation cuts the small business tax rate by 8.7%. ^[1] The legislation undo the previous Liberal government’s moratorium on neonicotinoid pesticides, widely identified as posing serious risks to pollinators. ^[2]

There are a series of minor changes under the act including simplifying the procedures for a pension plan to declare a member as missing and the procedures for deeming consent to electronic form of delivery for certain types of documents. ^[3]

The legislation also allows landowners to build one-storey boathouses and docks on provincial Crown land. ^[4]

Reception

Chiefs of Nishnawbe Aski Nation First Nations criticized the legislation as "disrespectful" saying it was "issues fundamental to First Nations in omnibus legislation and creating unreasonable timelines to undermine the right of our communities to adequately respond." ^[5]

See also

• Better for People, Smarter for Business Act, 2020

References

1. "Better for People, Smarter for Business act to simplify and modernize regulations". 8 November 2019. Archived from the original on 18 July 2025.
2. Winfield, Mark (10 December 2019). "'New and improved' Doug Ford doesn't extend to the environment". The Conversation . Archived from the original on 13 February 2020. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
3. "Ontario's Bill 132: Highlights of Key Proposed Changes to the Ontario Pension Benefits Act". JD Supra. 4 November 2019. Archived from the original on 18 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
4. Cruickshank, Andrew (6 July 2020). "New law on docks, boathouses, and more". Cottage Life. Archived from the original on 18 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.
5. "NAN Chiefs oppose Ontario omnibus Bill 132". Sudbury.com. 15 November 2019. Archived from the original on 18 July 2025. Retrieved 18 July 2025.