Newfoundland and Labrador backs push to reduce interprovincial trade barriers

Newfoundland and Labrador is backing an accelerated effort to make it easier for Canadians to work, do business and invest across provincial and territorial borders.

Federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for internal trade meet in Iqaluit this week, where they agree to speed up efforts to create a more open domestic market.

Newfoundland and Labrador is represented by Finance Minister Craig Pardy.

The ministers agree to work toward an agreement in principle by the end of fall 2026 on model mutual recognition legislation. The legislation is intended to help create a common Canadian market and improve labour mobility.

The ministers are scheduled to meet again Oct. 2 to assess progress.

The discussions come as Canada looks to strengthen trade within the country following the suspension of trade negotiations with the United States.

Several initiatives are already underway.

Ministers ratify amendments to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement aimed at improving labour mobility. The changes establish a 30-day service standard for applications, with the goal of improving transparency, reducing red tape and making it easier for workers to move to jurisdictions where their skills are needed.

Online digital registries for tradespeople are now operating in most provinces and territories, allowing credentials to be verified more easily when workers move across the country. The remaining jurisdictions are expected to implement registries this year.

Work is also progressing on common occupational health and safety training. Reference models for Working at Heights and Mobile Elevating Work Platforms have been developed, with jurisdictions working toward recognizing the training by Jan. 1, 2027.

Ministers also direct officials to accelerate work on expanding mutual recognition to services. The goal is to allow businesses to operate more easily across provincial and territorial boundaries by reducing duplication and costs and increasing market opportunities.

An agreement on services is targeted for December 2026.

The meeting also addresses barriers facing food and agriculture businesses.

Concierge services from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency are available to help food businesses expand into other provinces and territories. The federal government is also moving ahead with amendments to the Safe Food for Canadians Regulations that would create a targeted, temporary exemption allowing provincial red-meat slaughter facilities and producers to trade low volumes of traceable meat between provinces.

The measure is intended to help address rural processing bottlenecks and allow businesses to test new markets.

Housing and construction are also part of the discussions, with work continuing on construction-code harmonization and modernization, as well as the approval and inspection of new building materials and prefabricated homes.

The federal Domestic Trade Commissioner Network and its partners have supported more than 30 trade missions across Canada, helping more than 2,000 businesses make connections and explore new domestic markets. More than a dozen additional missions are planned for the remainder of 2026.

Ministers also continue work to reduce barriers to direct-to-consumer sales of alcoholic beverages across Canada, building on an agreement signed by nine premiers in July.

The discussions include concerns raised by northern stakeholders about the cost of doing business in Canada's North, including construction and housing challenges, labour shortages, access to materials and inputs, and transportation costs.

The Committee on Internal Trade says its focus remains on practical measures to remove unnecessary barriers and create better conditions for workers, businesses and consumers across the country.

Quebec does not take a position on the issues discussed during the meeting because of the province's electoral period.