The Committee on Internal Trade (CIT) met on July 8th to plan the next steps for improving the movement of goods, services and labour within Canada.
Ahead of the meeting, we sent a letter to CIT members urging them to make progress and provide clear direction on two key promises: creating a national agreement so products approved in one province can be sold in all others, and enabling direct-to-consumer alcohol delivery across provincial borders.
So, what happened?
The CIT remains on track to meet its December 2025 deadline for a pan-Canadian mutual recognition agreement on goods.
They also announced and agreement-in-principle on that financial service that is expected to take effect in the fall of 2025. .
The CIT also announced a May 2026 deadline for nine provinces (Newfoundland and Labrador is the holdout) and the Yukon to get their direct-to-consumer alcohol frameworks and agreements with other participating jurisdictions in place.
How are we advocating for small business owners?
While there has been progress in cutting trade barriers, we worry that provinces making their own rules could leave small businesses stuck dealing with a patchwork of confusing and different requirements.
That’s why we’re asking the CIT to work together towards a clear set of rules businesses can count on, with clear timelines so businesses can plan ahead. It’s also crucial to know what the new mutual recognition plan will mean for provinces that already have similar laws, and what it means for trade overall.
We’d love to add you to our roster of over 100,000 small businesses across Canada that we advocate for. Become a member today!
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