Ontario Introduces Legislation to Eliminate Interprovincial Trade Barriers

Keywords

Canada

Ontario Premier Doug Ford recently introduced the Protect Ontario Through Free Trade Within Canada Act in the provincial legislature, aiming to promote free trade and labour mobility within Canada.

The proposed legislation focuses on two key aspects:

1. Ontario would recognize the regulatory regimes of other provinces concerning goods, services, and registered workers—provided that those provinces enact similar legislation recognizing Ontario's standards and rules.

2. Ontario would eliminate all 23 exemptions it currently maintains under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), including exemptions related to residency requirements for certain sectors, protection of provincial energy and gas companies, and maintenance of alcohol monopolies.

On the same day, Premier Ford, along with Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston and New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt, signed Memorandums on Trade Liberalization to further advance interprovincial trade. In March, Nova Scotia passed its own Free Trade and Mobility within Canada Act, reinforcing its commitment to removing trade barriers across provinces.

The Ontario government stated that research suggests the passage of this legislation could generate significant economic benefits, creating new jobs, boosting investment attractiveness, and contributing up to CAD 200 billion annually to Ontario's economy.

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