The President of the Ontario Treasury Board is touring the province to take the temperature of the business community.

Photo courtesy of MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy, via Twitter.

MPP Peter Bethlenfalvy stopped in Chatham on Friday.

“We have turned our online consultation for the people into a conversation with the people,” said Minister Bethlenfalvy. “Today, I heard from business and community leaders about the barriers that are preventing economic growth and job creation in Chatham-Kent. Restoring trust and accountability to the Province’s finances, addressing the $15 billion deficit, reducing red tape and protecting core services are top priorities for business leaders here in Chatham-Kent.”

Bethlenfalvy says one of the main points raised in his discussions with local business leaders is the need for less red tape for one thing.

“Get on with modernizing government,” he says. “A lot of the transactions are face to face when we deal with citizens, people want to do more online.”

Bethlenfalvy says it’s hard to compete in the global marketplace with too many rules and regulations.

He says the huge deficit doesn’t help but they plan to cut spending and pay it down as much as possible.