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Premier Scott Moe is calling on provinces and territories across Canada to join the New West Partnership Trade Agreement, aiming to expand the country’s largest barrier-free interprovincial market and strengthen domestic trade.
The move comes in a week where renewed debates on tariffs have put internal trade back in the spotlight.
“Joining the New West Partnership is an opportunity for all provinces and territories to work together to strengthen internal trade and to grow Canada’s economy,” Moe said in a news release on Thursday.
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The NWPTA was created in 2010 by Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, with Manitoba joining later. It’s designed to remove many of the rules and red tape that make doing business across provinces difficult.
The agreement helps provinces recognize each other’s rules on trade, investment and jobs, or adjust them to work together. It also includes fewer exceptions and lets more business deals happen without needing special approval, making it more flexible than the broader Canada Free Trade Agreement.
During the announcement in Saskatoon Thursday morning at Crestline, Moe said the subject of other provinces and territories joining the agreement was talked about at the recent Western Premiers Conference in Yellowknife, and an invitation was extended at that time to the three territorial premiers.
Letters were sent out to the other six provinces on Wednesday.
“I expect a positive response, or at least those provinces are going to have a good look at that agreement,” Moe said.
“The simplest and most encompassing way to reduce any trade barriers across this nation, whether they be on products or labour mobility, or the regulatory environment in which we operate in is for everyone to unquestionably sign the New West Partnership.”
At this point, he said no provinces had responded to the invitation, nor were there any numbers or information readily available on how or if Saskatchewan would be financially affected should other provinces sign the agreement.
Companies like Saskatoon-based Crestline, which builds buses for health care and public transit, said in the same news release the agreement helps them stay competitive and expand across Western Canada.
— with files from 650 CKOM’s Lara Fominoff
