B.C. has joined the rest of Canada in signing a deal to remove interprovincial trade barriers, allowing many products to be sold across Canada without requiring additional testing, labels, or certification.
B.C. Jobs and Economic Growth Minister Ravi Kahlon said the Canada Mutual Recognition Agreement was “decades in the making.”
“This is the largest red tape reduction in Canada’s history, and it’s just the beginning,” he said.
The agreement is being signed by trade ministers from all 13 provinces and territories. Food, alcohol and other select goods are excluded.
Bridgitte Anderson, president of the Greater Vancouver Board of Trade, appeared alongside Kahlon as he signed the agreement in Victoria on Wednesday, saying these barriers reduce Canada’s GDP by tens of billions of dollars each year.
“If a product is approved for sale in one province, it should be approved in all provinces,” she said. “Mutual recognition is a proven international best practice, and it’s encouraging to see the actions today.”
More to come.