The Ontario government doesn’t want to be a burden on business.

That’s why Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure Minister Brad Duguid on Monday tabled legislation to reduce regulations and red tape “that cost business time and money.”

“We never move forward in any way that will be detrimental to the public interest nor will we ever sacrifice safety, security, or the well-being of Ontarians when we implement these burden reduction efforts,” he said.

Duguid said the government has set a target of $100 million in fewer headaches and hassles for businesses by 2016-17.

With Industry Canada estimating that complying with regulatory paperwork cost $4.76 billion in 2011 alone, that suggests Ontario businesses are saddled with a $1.77 billion annual burden.

His legislation would require Queen’s Park to report annually on what efforts have been made to eliminate unnecessary bureaucratic hurdles.

“The burdens that we are working towards are burdens that sometimes get in the way of good business practices. It slows business down because of unnecessary paperwork and processes.”

If Duguid’s initiative sounds familiar, it’s because he was re-introducing a bill his predecessor Eric Hoskins, now the health minister, had tabled in March.

Hoskin’s legislation died because of the June 12 election.

While some 80,000 business regulations have been eliminated in Ontario since 2008 under the province’s “Open for Business” program, there have long been calls for more streamlining.

The red-tape law pushed by Duguid also encourages “cluster development plans” so businesses, universities and labour can work with the province to create new regional economic zones similar to Kitchener-Waterloo’s high-technology hub.

As well, the minister introduced the Infrastructure for Jobs and Prosperity Act that would require the government to table its first long-term infrastructure plan within three years.

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After that, subsequent plans would have to be shared with Ontarians every five years.

Premier Kathleen Wynne’s administration is promising to spend $130 billion on transit, roads, bridges, and other infrastructure over the next decade.

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