Ottawa to remove half of its exceptions in Canadian Free Trade Agreement: source
Intended to improve interprovincial trade
Published Feb 21, 2025 • Last updated 11 minutes ago • 3 minute read
Join the conversation
Anita Anand, Canada's internal trade minister, is set to meet with the committee on internal trade next week, where she expects a progress report from provincial counterparts on the removal of interprovincial trade barriers. Photo by Katherine KY Cheng /Getty ImagesThe federal government plans remove half its exceptions in the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) in an effort to improve interprovincial trade, according to a senior government source.
Article content
Article content
The agreement was first signed by the federal government and the provinces and territories in 2017. Its intention was to modernize the Agreement on Internal Trade signed in 1995 and was designed to increase the flow of goods, services and labour across provinces and promote regulatory co-operation within Canada.
Advertisement 2
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
View more offers
Article content
However, critics of the agreement argue that a large number of exceptions remain in the agreement that render it less effective in fostering free internal trade in Canada.
The federal government initially had 56 exceptions in the agreement, before removing 17 of them last July.
Some premiers have expressed a willingness to improve interprovincial trade, with Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston announcing on Thursday his intention to table a bill that will remove barriers and make trade with other provinces easier.
Anita Anand, Canada’s internal trade minister, is set to meet with the committee on internal trade next week, where she expects a progress report from provincial counterparts on the removal of interprovincial trade barriers.
A number of exceptions by the provinces remain in CFTA, designed to protect industries ranging from forestry, real estate services, mining, agriculture, fisheries, energy and alcohol.
For example, in the case of Nova Scotia, the exemption for alcohol explicitly states “the above measure allows the Government of Nova Scotia, through the monopoly of the Nova Scotia Liquor Corporation, to regulate and issue various authorizations relating to the movement, purchase, importation, possession, delivery, transportation and sale of liquor and merchandise.”
Advertisement 3
Story continues below
This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.
Article content
In recent weeks, there has been a renewed sense of urgency in making Canada’s economy more resilient in light of trade threats by U.S. President Donald Trump. A 30-day pause on Trump’s threat to impose a 25 per cent tariff on Canadian goods and a 10 per cent tariff on Canadian energy, is set to end March 4.
In total, internal trade represents 18 per cent of Canada’s gross domestic product (GDP). A 2022 study by the Macdonald-Laurier Institute, based on research done by University of Calgary professor and economist Trevor Tombe, found that the country’s GDP is between 3.2 per cent and 7.3 per cent smaller because of internal trade costs.
Recommended from Editorial
Macklem warns of no 'bounce-back' for Canada in trade war
Bank of Canada says trade war will hurt Canada more than the U.S.
Business heads ask Trudeau to recall Parliament to deal with trade
A report published by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business this past summer estimates the removal of internal trade barriers would boost the Canadian economy by as much as $200 billion annually.
Randall Zalazar, director of government relations at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce welcomed the news on Friday, but argued for the need to do more.
“Now is the time for provinces to push forward on broad mutual recognition, streamlining the regulations and standards that make the cross-country flow of workers and goods needlessly difficult,” Zalazar said, in a statement. ”In the face of tariffs and serious trade disruptions, capitalizing on the benefits of internal trade is too important to miss out on.”
• Email: jgowling@postmedia.com
Bookmark our website and support our journalism: Don’t miss the business news you need to know — add financialpost.com to your bookmarks and sign up for our newsletters here.
Article content
Share this article in your social network
Enrique Tarrio, the former national leader of the far-right group Proud Boys, was arrested on Friday near the US Capitol on charges of assaulting a protester. The incident occurred after Tarrio attended a gathering alongside other individuals who had
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
'SNL' has denied claims Ryan Reynolds pitched a joke that alluded to the ongoing legal feud between his wife Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The body of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas has been returned, her family has confirmed.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Drew Pritchard, star of Salvage Hunters, was left with no choice but to sell his beloved antiques.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
After months of speculation about who the next James Bond will be, many believe it's only a matter of time before the next 007 is announced.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Get out of the tough pickle in Connections today.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 Get out of the tough pickle in Connections today. %23connectionshint) |
|
|
The stars have urged the Government to rethink proposals to relax copyright rules to protect creative talent from artificial intelligence.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Salvage Hunters star Drew Pritchard saw light at the end of the tunnel as she showed off impressive finished rooms in his epic Georgian home renovation
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Released during the pandemic, BLACKPINK's "How You Like That" inspires resilience and perseverance through tough times.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Concerns are growing for New York Knicks standout Josh Hart after he missed a second consecutive game coming out of the All-Star break.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Marcus Stroman started the Yankees’ 4-0 win over the Rays in the Grapefruit League opener.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
The body of Israeli hostage Shiri Bibas has been returned to Israel after Hamas sent back the wrong human remains.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
AfD leader Alice Weidel is expected to be â??stitched upâ?? by Germanyâ??s six Establishment parties
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
EXCLUSIVE: A new poll shows Alice Weidel as the most preferred Chancellor of Germany.
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Ms Bibas was kidnapped with her sons from Niz Or kibbutz during Hamas's terror attack in October 2023
Read more >> : Cick here
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
Twitter (X), Inc. was an American social media company based in San Francisco, California, which operated and was named for its flagship social media network prior to its rebrand as X. In addition to Twitter, the company previously operated the Vine short video app and Periscope livestreaming service
Twitter (X) is one of the most popular social media platforms, with over 619 million monthly active users worldwide. One of the most exciting features of Twitter (X) is the ability to see what topics are trending in real-time. Twitter trends are a fascinating way to stay up to date on what people are talking about on the platform, and they can also be a valuable tool for businesses and individuals to stay relevant and informed. In this article, we will discuss Twitter (X) trends, how they work, and how you can use them to your advantage.
What are Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are a list of topics that are currently being talked about on the platform and also world. The topics on this list change in real-time and are based on the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be localized to a Worldwide country or region or can be global, depending on the topic's popularity.
How Do Twitter (X) Worldwide Trends Work?
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends are generated by an algorithm that analyzes the volume of tweets using a particular hashtag or keyword. When the algorithm detects a sudden increase in tweets using a specific hashtag or keyword, it considers that topic to be trending.
Once a topic is identified as trending, it is added to the list of Twitter (X) Worldwide trends. The topics on this list are ranked based on their popularity, with the most popular topics appearing at the top of the list.
Twitter (X) Worldwide trends can be filtered by location or category, allowing users to see what topics are trending in their area or in a particular industry. Additionally, users can click on a trending topic to see all of the tweets using that hashtag or keyword.