Barriers include differences in fruit and vegetable packaging and labeling between provinces; separate licensing requirements for food products crossing provincial borders.
Trade barriers aren’t just an international issue. They should also be of concern to Scarborough business owners.
“Reducing internal trade barriers could boost Canada’s GDP by as much as $161 billion per year,” said Professor Christopher Cotton, Director of the John Deutsch Institute for the Study of Economic Policy from Queen’s University. “By making these reforms a priority, Canada can create a more unified national market, lower costs for consumers, and encourage innovation and competition to drive long-term economic growth.”
Most Canadians were not even aware of all the trade barriers before the United States White House administration started talking about tariffs – weren’t we all shocked when we started to hear about these categories of barriers?
These are some of the regulatory and administrative barriers: Differences in licensing recognition across provinces; variations in safety certifications and technical standards; occupational health and safety standards that differ between provinces; environmental standards that vary by province
Then there are restrictions on goods: limitations on the sale of alcohol across provincial borders; differences in packaging and labeling requirements for food products; restrictions on the direct sale and shipment of wine, beer, and spirits to consumers in other provinces
Don’t forget language requirements: Quebec’s language laws, which impose regulations on businesses operating in the province, including signage and communication requirements
There are also agricultural and food-related barriers: Provincial control over chicken prices, such as in British Columbia; differences in fruit and vegetable packaging and labeling between provinces; separate licensing requirements for food products crossing provincial borders
Professional qualifications also create barriers: Varying requirements for professional certifications and qualifications across provinces.
Transportation and infrastructure barriers include: Different vehicle weight standards between provinces; variations in load safety regulations for interprovincial transportation.
It’s quite a list.
Scarborough is the hub for many small and large businesses in Toronto. It is important to support our local businesses and encourage growth to keep our community healthy and developing.
Focusing on our local existing businesses and assisting with new initiatives and projects by removing interprovincial trade barriers should be one of our main goals at all government levels. It is after all the lowest lying fruit to benefit our local economies.
