Ontario is “open for business” and soon there will be massive sign on the Canada-U.S. border to tout that.

Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade Minister Jim Wilson confirmed Wednesday that Premier Doug Ford’s election promise of signage near the New York frontier will be kept.

“You don’t think he’s going to allow me to make that announcement today, do you?” quipped Wilson, as he announced province-wide consultations on reducing red tape to boost business in Ontario.

“It’s coming soon,” he said, emphasizing the sign would not be manufactured by Deco Labels and Tags, the family company founded by the premier’s father.

During the June 7 election campaign, Ford vowed that if he defeated Kathleen Wynne’s Liberals he would make a big show of the province’s intentions to lure businesses across the border.

“Today, Buffalo and Niagara are bragging about all the jobs they’re taking from us, because of Kathleen Wynne’s high hydro rates, high taxes, and red tape,” the Tory leader said on May 14.

“We’re going to put up a big sign on the border that says ‘Ontario is open for business.’”

Interim Liberal Leader John Fraser pointed out the province’s borders have always been open for business and that his party left the economy in good shape after almost 15 years in power.

“The Conservatives have inherited one of the strongest economies in the world,” said Fraser, adding that Ontario’s economic growth has outpaced all G7 countries and other provinces and it currently enjoys its lowest unemployment rate in a generation.

“I really find it strange that they’re trying to create this image of Ontario’s economy not being strong,” he said.

Starting next week, Wilson said there will be “red-tape reduction round-tables” on cutting some of the province’s 380,000 regulations.

The push to slash red tape follows a similar initiative by the Liberals that was led by Ed Clark, who is no longer serving as the premier’s business adviser.

Clark, the former TD Bank chair and Wynne’s privatization czar, was part of a post-election purge by Ford.

But Wilson maintained the Liberals did not follow the respected banker’s advice on cutting the regulatory burden on business even though the previous government passed legislation to do so.

“Frankly, from the briefings I had, nothing happened. Mr. Clark made his report, (it) sat on the shelf. It was purely lip service.”

Last year, the Canadian Federation of Independent Business awarded the Ontario government an honourable mention in its annual “golden scissors” award for reducing red tape.

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The group praised then-Liberal minister Brad Duguid for introducing “the red tape challenge as part of Ontario’s business growth initiative.”

“The challenge is conducted through an online portal where Ontarians may submit ideas to cut red tape within seven industry sectors. Consultations for two sectors have already been completed and the government has received hundreds of submissions covering more than 200 regulations,” the business federation said at the time.

Robert Benzie is the Star’s Queen’s Park bureau chief and a reporter covering Ontario politics. Follow him on Twitter: @robertbenzie

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