Future entrepreneurs looking for a business licence from the City of St. Albert might be asked for information about any criminal record they might have, which could preclude them from operating a business in St. Albert.
Council approved Monday night a motion brought forward by Coun. Cam MacKay to look at attaching two possible conditions to obtaining a business licence — one somehow inquiring about an applicant’s criminal record, and another ensuring good standing in any professional association.
“There isn’t anything we currently do to maintain a business licence other than paying,” MacKay said. “If you have a criminal offence that pertains directly to the operation of your business, you should not be granted a business licence. There are some bare minimum standards to at least add value and it does protect the public.”
MacKay said other municipalities he has researched at least ask prospective licensees if they have a criminal record, if not submit them to a criminal record check through the RCMP. What he’d ultimately like to see is administration come back with its own recommendations.
“This motion is wide open enough that staff can use their own expertise to put forward better recommendations than I can come up with.”
Acting city manager Chris Jardine said staff would first need to check with the city’s legal department to make sure they can pursue any changes.
“Not everybody has been a saint all their lives and based on a bylaw amendment, that means you’re not welcome to do business even though you’ve seen the way of a better path,” Jardine responded. “That’s just off the top of my head so I think would need to be cautions on how we tread forward.”
Jardine, however, acknowledged that the police have expressed an interest in at least knowing who is applying for a licence.
“I know from time-to-time we do hear from the public asking, ‘Why would you licence this individual?’ ” Jardine said.
MacKay said he envisions a complaint-based system instead of one in which bylaw officers are actively checking up on business licences, to avoid adding costs to the city. Guy Boston, the general manager of planning and engineering, expressed some issue over the resources his department has available.
“There’s a real concern with respect to resources associated with it and the implications, whether someone has a chequered past or not,” Boston said.
MacKay says he simply wants a mechanism in place to deter potential criminals from opening businesses through which they might continue their activities.
“Someone with a past charge of being a pedophile and wants to open a day care, maybe that’s not the best business for you. But if you want to be a plumber, that might be better.”
