Identity area
Type of entity
Authorized form of name
Parallel form(s) of name
Standardized form(s) of name according to other rules
Red Tape Secretariat
Other form(s) of name
Ontario. Red Tape Commission Office
Ontario. Red Tape Review Secretariat
Identifiers for corporate bodies
Description area
Dates of existence
History
The Red Tape Commission and its supporting Red Tape Secretariat (Secretariat was initially named the Red Tape Commission Office and the Red Tape Review Secretariat) were established by Premier Mike Harris in November 1995. They were part of the Office of the Premier and Cabinet Office, Secretary of Cabinet and Clerk of the Executive Council. In 1997, the Commission recommended that a regulatory watchdog committee, supported by the Red Tape Secretariat, be formed consisting of MPPs and the private sector.
The Red Tape Commission and Secretariat were transferred from the Cabinet Office to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade in 2002; to the Ministry of Enterprise, Opportunity and Innovation between 2002-2003; and returned to the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade in 2003. As part of its October 2003 election platform, the new government committed to replacing the Red Tape Commission with a small business agency dedicated to serving the needs of small businesses in Ontario.
From October 2003 to April 2005, the Red Tape Secretariat provided assistance as the Small Business Agency of Ontario (SBAO) was designed and then launched in April 2005 to replace the Red Tape Commission.
Places
Legal status
Functions, occupations and activities
The Red Tape Secretariat provided direct support to the Red Tape Commission, which was created to eliminate existing red tape regarding regulatory measures especially as they affected businesses and institutions. Secretariat staff reported to their ministry as well as working directly with Cabinet Office Policy and Executive Council Office staff on ministry policy, legislative and regulatory initiatives and corporate initiatives such as the Annual Business Plan reviews. Also, the Secretariat met with ministry Red Tape contacts and representatives from the private sector to continue to reduce red tape.
Address
Red Tape Reduction Act, 2000, S.O. 2000, c. 26
Internal structures/genealogy
General context
Relationships area
Related entity
Identifier of related entity
Category of relationship
Type of relationship
Dates of relationship
Description of relationship
Related entity
Identifier of related entity
Category of relationship
Type of relationship
Dates of relationship
Description of relationship
Related entity
Identifier of related entity
Category of relationship
Type of relationship
Dates of relationship
Description of relationship
Related entity
Identifier of related entity
Category of relationship
Type of relationship
Dates of relationship
Description of relationship
Access points area
Subject access points
Place access points
Epithet
Control area
Authority record identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
RAD: Rules for Archival Description, 2nd edn (2008)
Status
Level of detail
Dates of creation, revision and deletion
2026-11-16: migrated to AtoM
Language(s)
Script(s)
Sources
Records Retention Schedule for EDT-26
E-mail from Rob Swaffield (MSBCS) Jan. 13, 2009 - he was one of the few remaining members of the previous Red Tape Secretariat.
Government of Ontario Telephone Directories (1996-2006)
INFO-GO
KWIC 2002, 2004
Maintenance notes
Agency history for the Small Business Agency of Ontario (SBAO) has not yet been created.
Archivist(s):
Hopp