OTTAWA, July 20, 2018 /CNW/ - The Government of
Canada today applauded progress on
reducing barriers to trade between provinces and territories, and
reaffirmed its commitment to working together to accelerate
progress in breaking down barriers to trade within Canada.
The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental
and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade, welcomed today's
announcement by the Council of the Federation that provinces and
territories have agreed in principle to significantly increase the
amount of alcohol that individuals can bring with them for personal
use when crossing provincial/territorial boundaries.
Minister LeBlanc also recognized this important step forward as
a key outcome of the collaborative efforts between the Government
of Canada and the provincial and
territorial governments. He noted that while this is a good step
forward, more can be done by the provinces and territories to
enhance trade in alcoholic beverages within Canada, including expanding direct-to-consumer
sales of alcohol across the country.
The Honourable Scott Brison, President of the Treasury Board and
Minister of Digital Government, in his capacity as Minister
responsible for coordinating Canada's domestic and international regulatory
cooperation efforts, highlighted the release of a two-year work
plan to reconcile regulatory barriers to trade between provinces
and territories. The work plan, developed by the Canadian Free
Trade Agreement's Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table,
identifies 23 items for action, including reconciling occupational
health and safety regulations and harmonizing weight and size
restrictions in the trucking sector.
The Government of Canada showed
particular leadership in reducing regulatory barriers, and has
already completed two of the 23 items on the work plan, which will
come into force through the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations on
January 15, 2019:
- The scope of products that can be labelled with the Canada
Organic Logo will be expanded to include aquaculture products.
- Inspection requirements for apples, potatoes and blueberries
that apply only to those products when produced in certain
provinces will be repealed.
Quotes
"When goods can travel freely across provinces and territories,
it makes it easier for businesses to grow and succeed at home. This
leads to a stronger economy, creates more jobs, and allows
Canadians to benefit from more choices and better prices. I am
pleased with the initial progress of this new
federal-provincial-territorial forum, and glad to announce early
federal successes in removing regulatory barriers to trade across
the country. I look forward to making further strides to improve
trade between provinces and territories from coast to coast to
coast."
– Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of
Intergovernmental and Northern Affairs and Internal Trade
"Reducing regulatory barriers benefits both businesses
and consumers by promoting investment, lowering the price of
consumer goods and creating more opportunities for middle-class
Canadians. I look forward to continuing to work with our provincial
and territorial partners to eliminate unnecessary regulatory
barriers to trade across Canada."
– Scott Brison, President of the
Treasury Board and Minister of Digital Government
Quick facts
- The Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) establishes free trade
rules that apply across the Canadian economy. Rules apply
automatically to all economic activity unless something is
specifically excluded.
- The Committee on Internal Trade (CIT), is a ministerial
federal-provincial/territorial committee that oversees the overall
implementation of the CFTA.
- Internal trade between province and territories accounts for
just under one-fifth of Canada's
annual GDP, or $370 billion. It also
accounts for almost 40 per cent of all provincial and territorial
exports.
- According to the Bank of Canada, removing interprovincial trade
barriers could add up to two-tenths of a percentage point to
Canada's potential output
annually. This is roughly comparable to the projected economic
benefit from the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and
Trade Agreement (CETA).
- The CFTA replaced the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT) on
July 1, 2017.
Associated links
- Canadian Free Trade Agreement
- Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation
- Safe Food For Canadians Régulations
SOURCE Privy Council Office