Post by Ducky on Jan 7, 2005 7:53:43 GMT -5
Red tape. It comes up as one of the most frequent complaints among business owners. Whether it's opening a hotel, a restaurant, doing a renovation or sinking millions into a large-scale development, the amount of paperwork, the delays and the number of approvals required to do almost anything in Winnipeg discourages development, business leaders say.
And the complaints are directed largely at the City of Winnipeg.
"It's amazing how many steps and hoops you have to jump through sometimes to get things done," said Leo Ledohowski, president and CEO of Canad Inns, who's no stranger to doing large developments in the city.
Whether it's zoning delays, difficulties getting permits quickly, or the multiple approvals required at committee stages, businesses are clearly frustrated at how long it takes to get projects off the ground in Winnipeg.
It's just one more signal to investors that Winnipeg is closed for business, they say.
ROADBLOCKS
"It's just difficult to do business here," said Brenda Andre, who owns six Perkins restaurants in Winnipeg. "Every time you go to construct something or do a renovation, it takes forever to get your permits -- everything is just a struggle."
And that's going to have to change if Winnipeg truly wants to tell the world that it's open for business, said Hartley Richardson, president and CEO of James Richardson & Sons.
"You say you're open for business and then you put up every roadblock imaginable to make development difficult," said Richardson.
Business leaders say they're hopeful Mayor Sam Katz's new Red Tape Commission, designed to find ways to reduce red tape at City Hall, will help make it easier to do business in Winnipeg.
The commission is expected to make recommendations later this year.
And the complaints are directed largely at the City of Winnipeg.
"It's amazing how many steps and hoops you have to jump through sometimes to get things done," said Leo Ledohowski, president and CEO of Canad Inns, who's no stranger to doing large developments in the city.
Whether it's zoning delays, difficulties getting permits quickly, or the multiple approvals required at committee stages, businesses are clearly frustrated at how long it takes to get projects off the ground in Winnipeg.
It's just one more signal to investors that Winnipeg is closed for business, they say.
ROADBLOCKS
"It's just difficult to do business here," said Brenda Andre, who owns six Perkins restaurants in Winnipeg. "Every time you go to construct something or do a renovation, it takes forever to get your permits -- everything is just a struggle."
And that's going to have to change if Winnipeg truly wants to tell the world that it's open for business, said Hartley Richardson, president and CEO of James Richardson & Sons.
"You say you're open for business and then you put up every roadblock imaginable to make development difficult," said Richardson.
Business leaders say they're hopeful Mayor Sam Katz's new Red Tape Commission, designed to find ways to reduce red tape at City Hall, will help make it easier to do business in Winnipeg.
The commission is expected to make recommendations later this year.