NEWS & UPDATES
Agreement streamlines business regulations
T
he New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWP) between Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia eliminates the need for multiple business registrations from one province to the next and streamlines regulatory requirements required to start and operate a business. These changes are intended to make it easier to do business in the West. The business community across Western Canada will experience a number of benefits from the streamlining of processes, including reduced efforts and costs. First phase: Extra-provincial registrations and procurement Extra-provincial registrations for business corporations will be possible starting on July 1 pursuant to NWP. ISC is working closely with our counterparts in Alberta and BC to ensure compatible policies, regulations and data exchange processes are in place to enable this change. All three provinces are to have equal access to Saskatchewan public sector tenders and to access these tenders online. ISC has already met this requirement; we are currently directing suppliers to the SaskTenders website. How will extra-provincial registrations work? As of July 1, businesses registering as a corporation will no longer need to register separately in each of the three jurisdictions. By choosing “extra-provincial” as an option when they register in their home province, business corporations will be registered in the other provinces that they choose. Business corporations will be asked to provide additional information by the home province. Business corporations should only choose “extraprovincial” if they intend to carry on business in the other
jurisdiction(s). A new business corporation will be able to register extraprovincially at the time of incorporation using the Corporate Registry system (COBRA online) or Business Registrations Saskatchewan. An existing business corporation will only be able to register extra-provincially through the Corporate Registry at this time. Fees for first-time business incorporations, as well as name search and reservation will be paid to the home jurisdiction. No corporation, whether existing or new, will have to pay a fee for registering extraprovincially and a business corporation will only need to file annual returns in its home province. Besides extra-provincial business registrations, two other types of maintenance transactions (attorney changes and head office changes) will be available online in all three provinces after July 1. Business corporations can maintain their registrations across all three jurisdictions. To change attorney or head office information, a business corporation may do so through the Corporate Registry system (COBRA online). Any other maintenance activities can be done by providing the Saskatchewan Corporate Registry with the applicable forms from the other jurisdictions. What happens after July 1, 2012? After July 1, the three provinces will begin working towards streamlining registration and regulatory requirements for limited partnerships, co-operatives and limited liability partnerships. This work will be completed by July 1, 2013. For more information, visit the New West Partnership website at www.isc.ca.
Ring honours Chamber Past Presidents
W
hen asked to make the Saskatoon Chamber of Commerce President’s ring, Robert Spark of Spark Custom Goldsmithing was thrilled at the opportunity to make a piece for the local institution. The process began by the Chamber choosing from various ring designs rendered by Spark. The gold ring has a modern shape with hand engraved script circling the band. Material for the ring came from a set of gold commemorative coins that the Chamber of Commerce originally had minted in 1982 to mark the 100th anniversary of the original Saskatoon temperance colony. Using the gold from the coins was a great way of making a symbolic link from the past into the present. The ring was presented to the outgoing president of the Chamber, Monica Kreuger, on May 17th. Robert Spark has worked as a goldsmith for over 18 years and more recently has been offering custom design services in Saskatoon through Spark Custom Goldsmithing. His arts and metal career began in Saskatoon, where as a student at Walter Murray Collegiate he was recognized as having talents in both metals and art. Spark started his arts career as
BUSINESS View June July 2012
a painter and has works in private collections in Saskatchewan. Spark went on to train at the Alberta College of Art and Design, in Calgary. There he was trained by internationally known goldsmiths such as Charles Lewton-Brain. Through his career, Spark The new President’s ring has worked as a goldsmith designed for the Chamber across Western Canada by Robert Spark including Calgary, Nelson, Salmon Arm and Saskatoon. Spark has made major pieces for private collections and for businesses across Canada. His work can be seen on display at Collectors Choice Art Gallery - 625D 1st Ave North Saskatoon or at www.sparkcustomgoldsmithing.com.
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