Canada’s Free Trade Agreement to be implemented on July 1 to reduce barriers between provinces and territories

Anita Huberman

THE Surrey Board of Trade has been advocating for change in reducing the barriers between provinces and territories for many years. Canada’s Free Trade Agreement will be implemented on July 1, 2017.

“The Surrey Board of Trade is very pleased with the initiative to strengthen and modernize internal trade in Canada,” said Anita Huberman, CEO, Surrey Board of Trade.

The Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) will reduce barriers to trade, investment, and worker mobility. It will increase choice for consumers, expand access to government contracts, and create more jobs for Canadians. It includes rules that open trade in goods and services, processes that reduce differences in regulations and standards, and provisions that increase access to billions of dollars in government procurement opportunities for Canadian businesses. The agreement also establishes new processes to liberalize domestic trade in areas such as alcoholic beverages and financial services.

The intent is to establish an open, efficient, and stable Canadian market that will also be effective for international trade by:

(a) Eliminating existing barriers and avoiding new barriers to trade, investment, and labour mobility within Canada and to facilitate the free movement of persons, goods, services, and investments within Canada;

(b) Ensuring non-discriminatory treatment of persons, goods, services, and investments, irrespective of where they originate in Canada;

(c) Reconciling occupational standards and regulatory measures to provide for the free movement of persons and the removal of barriers to trade and investment within Canada.

For more information go to: http://www.ait-aci.ca/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/CFTA-Consolidated-Text-Final-English.pdf