It will be easier for someone wanting to set up shop in Delta to know what permits are required.

Civic politicians recently approved Delta's inclusion in the BizPal network, a free online service designed to assist business owners by helping them identify which permits and licenses they require and how to obtain them.

Offered online, by telephone or through in-person centres, BizPal is an Industry Canada initiative that receives $3 million annually in federal funding. So far, 98 B.C. municipalities offer the service, including Vancouver, Richmond and Surrey. Participation is free to municipalities, however, each municipality is responsible for adding and maintaining its own information.

Biz Pal (www.bizpal.ca) automatically generates a list of all the required permits and licenses from all levels of government, including basic information on each and links to the government websites.