Brexit could improve U.K. trade with Canada: Sask. trade minister

There’s still some uncertainty as Great Britain leaves the European Union on Friday after 47 years.

The questions include how trade relationships with the United Kingdom will evolve.

Saskatchewan’s trade and export minister, Jeremy Harrison, believes Brexit could be an opportunity to get a better deal.

“It only makes sense that Canada continue to engage and that we not only retain that trading relationship we have but work to enhance it further,” he said.

There is still time to work out the details because there’s a transition period until the end of 2020, according to Harrison.

“Free trade is continuing between Canada and the United Kingdom (this year),” he explained. “The U.K. has been an important trading partner — not one of our largest trading partners, but important.”

He said Saskatchewan had nearly $100 million in exports to the U.K. in the last year data was available; that was 2018.

“There is a significant trade relationship. We anticipate that continuing and we would encourage the Government of Canada to engage with the British government as far as making sure that trade can continue going forward,” he said.

Harrison doesn’t expect consumers will notice a difference in the price of British goods at this point because tariffs remain the same as pre-Brexit.