Canoas and Castro implement streamlined licensing reforms

The municipality of Canoas enacted Decree No. 153/2026, introducing a new urban licensing model that creates a mandatory "Simplified Licensing" pathway for low‑impact residential and small commercial projects. The decree consolidates documentation, allows self‑declaration by developers, and requires all applications to be submitted online through the municipal "Sistema Acelera" platform, aiming to speed up technical analysis and reduce bureaucratic steps.

In Castro, Decree No. 440/2026 was issued to regulate the municipal application of the Law of Economic Freedom. The regulation classifies activities by risk level and grants automatic licensing for low‑risk enterprises, cutting the time needed to start a business. Municipal officials say the measure will enhance legal certainty, attract investment, and generate jobs by simplifying the opening and operation of companies.

Both reforms are coordinated by their respective secretaries of urban development and industry, commerce and tourism, and are presented as steps toward modernizing local administration and fostering economic growth in the Brazilian state of Rio Grande do Sul.