Bill 137: Making Business Easier Act

This bill touches a wide range of Nova Scotia businesses across many industries. Collection agencies and debt management firms in the province will no longer need to individually license each collector or agent — instead, workers are covered under the agency's licence, reducing paperwork for businesses that manage debt or run call centres. Food business operators running temporary events like farmers' markets or festivals will find it easier and potentially cheaper to get permits, with a simplified notification process and possible fee exemptions. Contractors and builders will benefit from a streamlined building code compliance process that accepts publicly recognized product evaluation reports, saving time on approvals. Resource-based businesses — including those in mining, forestry, and agriculture — will see efforts to cut red tape through one-window permitting, regulatory reviews, and potential fee elimination or reimbursement for mineral-resource projects, which most directly affects small to mid-sized operators working on Crown lands or with provincial licences.