Government eliminating more interprovincial trade exceptions

Release

Department of Intergovernmental Affairs, Office of the Premier

June 12, 2025

FREDERICTON (GNB) – The provincial government is removing five more party-specific exceptions under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.

“New Brunswick is moving full steam ahead on removing interprovincial trade barriers and improving the flow of workers, goods and services in and out of New Brunswick,” said Premier Susan Holt. “New Brunswick was made for this moment. We have what Canada needs, and we are working hard to knock down barriers while encouraging our neighbours to join us to do the same.”

The government has notified the Internal Trade Secretariat of the removal of five exceptions that fall under the government procurement chapter of the agreement.

•           Atlantic Lottery Corporation

•           wastewater commissions

•           regional service commissions (formerly solid waste commissions)

•           Fredericton Area Pollution Control Commission and Greater Moncton Sewerage Commission

•           newly created entities (for example, Crown corporations)

The removal of the exception for newly created entities will be immediate, however the removal of the other four will take effect Sept. 1, giving the other organizations time to adjust to new procurement requirements.

“As part of our work with the committee on internal trade, we pledged to quickly review all of New Brunswick’s 32 party-specific exceptions,” said Intergovernmental Affairs Minister Jean-Claude D’Amours. “We’re pleased to have cut that number by nearly half since the beginning of the year, and we remain committed to exploring further opportunities to remove barriers and the remaining exceptions.”

On March 20, the government announced the removal or amendment of 10 party-specific exceptions for:

•           Provincial Holdings Ltd.

•           Forest Protection Ltd.

•           New Brunswick Research and Productivity Council

•           New Brunswick Arts Board

•           New Brunswick Credit Union Deposit Insurance Corp.

•           New Brunswick Farm Products Commission

•           New Brunswick Museum

•           the procurement of goods restricted by law from interprovincial movement

•           mining

•           fisheries and aquaculture (narrowed – only applied reciprocally to other jurisdictions that maintain the same exception)

These changes support the government’s commitment to taking a leadership role on internal trade and reinforce other initiatives concerning labour mobility and trade barriers related to alcohol.

 

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