Toward Free Trade in Canada: Five Things the Federal Government Can Do To Open our Internal Market

Canada can increase its global competitiveness by liberalizing interprovincial trade and commerce. This report outlines five key areas for action. The sooner the country takes these steps, the sooner it will reap the many benefits.

1. Strengthen the institutional framework of the Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT). The first focus should be on expanding the secretariat.
2. Implement policies that facilitate greater labour mobility between provinces and harmonize apprenticeship and training programs. Taking these steps will help deploy skilled workers when and where they are needed.
3. Create a single national system for corporate registration and reporting. Such a system will facilitate greater investment by foreign and domestic enterprises in the Canadian market and eliminate costly duplication.
4. Promote market access and regulatory coherence in provincial energy and environmental policies to help promote sustainable growth.
5. Encourage dairy exports and the establishment of a common Canadian market to enable Canada to benefit from growing global demand for dairy products.