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OTTAWA — Transport and Internal Trade Minister Anita Anand said Friday she wants to boost internal trade by getting the provinces to recognize out-of-province labour certifications and regulations.
Anand was meeting with the Committee on Internal Trade, made up of provincial and territorial trade ministers.
The federal government says it has eliminated 20 of 39 federal exemptions in the Canada Free Trade Agreement.
Anand said removing these exemptions will make it easier for Canadian companies to bid on federal contracts.
The minister said eliminating internal trade barriers could add an extra $200 billion to the Canadian economy and minimize the impact of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Trump has said that planned 25 per cent tariffs on most Canadian exports, and a 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy products, will take effect on Mar. 4.
In an interview Friday, Anand said three things were on the table at the meeting — reducing the exemptions in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, expanding mutual recognition of provincial regulatory requirements from the trucking industry to other sectors, and improving labour mobility.
Canada has been working to break down interprovincial trade barriers for years.
Ottawa brought the provinces together to sign the Canadian Free Trade Agreement in 2017, which led to some provincial and federal rules being softened or repealed to make them more uniform.
Some economists have criticized the agreement for retaining hundreds of exceptions to rules meant to ensure barrier-free trade.
University of Calgary economics professor Trevor Tombe told The Canadian Press earlier this month that Canada’s provinces have hundreds of professional credentialing bodies that regulate goods and services within their borders, with barriers existing in virtually every industry.
Health and safety rules can hinder interprovincial trade.
Anand said provinces and territories can make rules for the benefit of their local economies but the government is pushing for the “mutual recognition” of those rules.
“This is a game-changer for Canadians and Canadian businesses because we are making it easier to do business in our country, reducing red tape,” Anand said Friday.
“The federal government is being bold about that. We are putting those into effect right away, and we very much hope that the provinces and territories will take similar measures.”
Earlier this week, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said he would introduce a bill aimed at reducing interprovincial trade barriers. Anand said she commended Houston for his efforts and she hoped other provinces would follow suit.
“We need to mitigate the effects of potential Trump tariffs and we need to do that without even going through Donald Trump and eliminating red tape. Eliminating interprovincial barriers to trade is the way to do that,” Anand said.
A press conference with members of the Committee on Internal Trade planned for Friday afternoon was cancelled due to a “lack of media interest.”
– With files from Dylan Robertson.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 28, 2025.
David Baxter, The Canadian Press