Becoming a OneStop Local Government Partner
The OneStop Business Registry is already partnered with many public agencies at the federal, provincial and local government levels and is committed to adding more for the benefit of entrepreneurs throughout BC. Partner benefits from participation in OneStop include better customer service, savings of time, elimination of duplication of effort, and improved compliance.
If you represent a public sector agency and would like more information about participating in the Business Registration, Business Address Change or Business Number services offered by the OneStop Business Registry, please call Richard Stebeck, our Manager of Partnerships at 250 356-2024.
Currently 79 local governments allow entrepreneurs to apply for their business licence using OneStop. The advantages of this approach include:
- Internet access:
OneStop Business Registry services are available on the Internet. This allows local governments to offer online web applications for their business licence without the cost and effort of having to build it.
- A rare opportunity:
OneStop is a federal, provincial and local government partnership.
- Reduce red tape:
Show the business community you are helping to improve service delivery.
- Educate businesses about local government requirements:
OneStop Business Registration will alert those completing other applications that were previously unaware, that they need a business licence.
- Increased applications:
More businesses will now be aware that they need to apply and will do so.
- Remote application for a business licence:
Non-resident businesses can easily apply from their own geographic location and have the licence waiting for them when they arrive.
- Faster application processing:
Applications received will be accurate and legible and thus require less processing time. If desired, the data can be entered directly into your database without the need for re-keying. This is currently available to local governments using Tempest software.
- Business address changes:
Businesses can change their physical and/or mailing address through OneStop.
- Award winning technology:
Be a partner in this nine-time award winning program.
- Overwhelming success:
Businesses that have used OneStop thus far have been overwhelmingly pleased with the services. OneStop clients frequently express sentiments such as:
"One stop shopping highly recommended."
"This is a great system to have in the community."
"Easy, fast to use, no running around to different government agencies. I really appreciate it."
Having your business licence offered through OneStop is a simple process. A local government must only accept the pre-developed common application form, and not require a signature at time of application. A local government is under no obligation to host a OneStop workstation, and currently the ministry is not charging any development fee. This policy may change in the future.
A local government's participation could begin within 5 days of their acceptance and provision of the following 6 items:
- Official local government name.
- Full local government address including postal code.
- Telephone and fax numbers including area code.
- Email address to receive the submitted applications.
- Contact name and telephone number.
- Contact email address.
A local government also has the option of providing each client applying for a business licence with information at the time of application. This can be almost anything, as long as it is not laden with graphics. It could be bylaw information, a simple thank you for applying, or welcome to wherever. See the sample business licence information pages for the District of Saanich and Township of Langley.
We need to keep file sizes to a minimum, so here are the rules:
- Use MS Word or similar word processor -- please do not use software such as PageMaker.
- Keep to standard font formatting. Font type "Arial", bold, underline, italic, standard font sizes that are normally selectable from the font size drop down list.
- Do not apply kerning (special spacing between fonts) or any other special spacing.
- Do not use colour or animation.
- Graphics -- Avoid the use of colour. Grayscale is acceptable, although black and white produces the smallest image size.
- For a Word document the graphics are stored in an internal Word format. Source graphics should be jpegs or gifs. Size the source graphic properly prior to embedding it in the document. Avoid resizing the image in Word. Keep the number and size of graphics to a minimum, this will keep the final PDF file small.
If you have any questions, please e-mail or call Richard Stebeck, Manager of Partnerships at 250 356-2024.
