Mountain View County is considering a business licence policy that would offer as wide a range of options as possible ñ including the option of not even taking out a licence."If you didn't need a business licence, you won't be compelled to get one," economic development officer Doug Erdman told councillors Wednesday.Presenting the proposal to council's policies and priorities committee, Erdman said his preferred option would allow maximum flexibility for business owners.Under the system Erdman is proposing:ï If the enterprise is based in the county and conducts business exclusively within the county, a business licence would not be required. However, if the business attends trade shows or events in other jurisdictions requiring the production of a business licence, a licence would be available from the county.ï If the business is based in the county, but does business in one other municipality in the MAP (Municipal Area Partnership) region, two options are available. The first option is to purchase a non-resident licence from the urban municipality. The second option is to purchase an intermunicipal license in the form of an endorsement to the county licence. This alternative assumes that the MAP municipality is a party to the Intermunicipal Licence Accord.ï If the business is based in the county, but does business in more than one municipality in the MAP region, the purchase of a county licence with an intermunicipal endorsement would satisfy licensing requirements. Again, this applies only to MAP municipalities that subscribe to the Intermunicipal Licence Accord.The proposed fees under a voluntary system are $50 for resident business; $20 for an intermunicipal business licence endorsement (with participating MAP municipalities); $100 for non-resident business; and $25 to replace a lost licence.Council has been reviewing business licence proposals since September 2009 and one of the aims, Div. 7 Coun. Al Kemmere noted, was to develop a single harmonized licence within the MAP region. Another rationale was to provide a faster, lower-cost option to development permits for small businesses."The business licence," Erdman said, "is just a mechanism where municipalities can track the number of businesses there and use that information for economic development purposes. It really is an economic development tool."Reeve Paddy Munro questioned the four goals of licensing that Erdman had identified in his proposal." 'To track business operations within a municipality.' Who does that help? 'To provide contact and additional information so that adherence to development permits can be ascertained.' Doesn't sound like that's helping businesses very much. 'To compel businesses to obtain and adhere to development permits as well as related municipal bylaws. To generate revenue in order to support municipal services.'"Who are we doing this for?" Munro asked. "If we're saying we're doing it to help business, how are we helping them? It seems like we're doing this more to help a process.""To think businesses want municipal government involved with their marketing plans ñ that's stretching it," Div. 1 Coun. Kevin Good said. "To me it's a camouflage for these people to 'obtain and adhere.' "Other options presented by Erdman included maintaining the status quo with no licensing process, implementing a business directory instead of a business licence, or introducing a compulsory system for non-agricultural businesses or a single voluntary/compulsory intermunicipal licence.P&P voted to forward the draft policy to MAP for discussion and, at Munro's urging, to obtain feedback on it from the public and members of the business community.
