Removing Trade Barriers With Other Provinces, Federal Government
Trade barriers between Nova Scotia, several provinces and the federal government will soon be removed.
Nova Scotia, along with Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario and Prince Edward Island have taken action to remove barriers and red tape that will open up new trade and investment opportunities. It is also anticipated that the federal government will do the same.
“Removing these barriers will open up new opportunities for Nova Scotian businesses and help grow our economy – that means more jobs for Nova Scotians,” said Premier Tim Houston. “This is how Nova Scotia and Canada can be more economically secure.”
The barriers being removed by Nova Scotia focus on three key areas:
- ending Canadian Free Trade Agreement exemptions that limit interprovincial trade with Nova Scotia
- allowing goods or services that are legally sold, used or provided in another province to automatically be able to be sold/used/provided in Nova Scotia without having to meet Nova Scotia’s specific labelling, packaging, certification or inspection requirements
- removing labour mobility barriers by requiring regulators to process equivalent licences within 10 business days and restricting application requirements to evidence of good standing and liability insurance.
The Province introduced the Free Trade and Mobility within Canada Act in February 2025 to help create mutual recognition of goods, services and labour mobility between Nova Scotia and other jurisdictions in Canada. The act allows the Province to remove barriers to trade and investment with others that will do the same for Nova Scotia.
Nova Scotia’s removal of trade barriers with Alberta and P.E.I. comes into effect immediately, while barriers with the other provinces and federal government will be removed upon proclamation of their equivalent legislation.
Quotes:
“Alberta is proud to stand alongside Nova Scotia in advancing a more open and co-operative Canadian economy. I commend Premier Tim Houston and the Nova Scotia government for taking meaningful action to support freer trade within Canada. By recognizing Alberta-approved goods without additional red tape, Nova Scotia is showing leadership that supports businesses, strengthens interprovincial ties and moves us closer to the internal trade framework Canadians expect and deserve.”
— Danielle Smith, Premier of Alberta
“With tariffs and tariff threats taking aim at Canada’s workers and businesses, it’s never been more important for us to work together from coast to coast to tear down internal trade barriers so we can make Canada stronger and more united than ever before. We’re going to keep working with our federal, provincial and territorial partners to unlock economic opportunity and build a more competitive, resilient and prosperous country that can stand up to tariffs and anything else that comes our way.”
— Doug Ford, Premier of Ontario
“We’re facing a tariff war on two fronts and now is the time to build up this country we love so much. As premiers, we are all working toward the common goal of powering our Canadian economy toward the future. Thanks to the work and co-operation with other provinces like Nova Scotia, we will unlock more economic opportunities for people across the country. We were proud to pass our legislation this session to break down inter provincial trade barriers and build a stronger, more resilient economy that will support Canadian workers.”
— Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba
“This announcement is one of the first tangible steps in adopting mutual recognition policy and breaking down interprovincial trade barriers, showing that the Premier and his government are serious about free trade within Canada. Simply put, this is good news for small businesses in our province. Now, eight in 10 small businesses across Canada are looking to their provinces to take the necessary steps to follow Nova Scotia's lead.”
— Duncan Robertson, Director of Legislative Affairs (Nova Scotia), Canadian Federation of Independent Business
Quick Facts:
- interprovincial exports contribute about 17 per cent of Nova Scotia’s gross domestic product
- interprovincial exports make up about half of Nova Scotia’s total exports (about 48 per cent of all goods and services)
- in 2023, the value of Nova Scotia’s interprovincial exports was nearly $29 billion
- one-third of Canadian businesses participated in internal trade by buying or selling goods across provincial or territorial borders
- more than $530 billion worth of goods and services moves across provincial and territorial borders every year – equal to 20 per cent of Canada's gross domestic product
Additional Resources:
Free Trade and Mobility within Canada Act: https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/free%20trade%20and%20mobility%20within%20canada.pdf