Overview

Alberta has been a pioneer in provincial free trade legislation with its Free Trade Within Canada Act (Bill 2, 2019), which received Royal Assent on July 18, 2019. Nova Scotia's recent Free Trade and Mobility within Canada Act (Bill 36) appears to be modeled after Alberta's approach, with similar language and provisions.

Alberta's Free Trade Within Canada Act

Alberta's legislation established a framework that:

• Recognizes occupational certifications from other Canadian jurisdictions without requiring additional testing or training
• Enables automatic recognition of goods that meet standards in other provinces
• Removes exceptions Alberta had registered under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement
• Creates a framework for recognizing "reciprocating jurisdictions" that have similar free trade legislation

Broader Alberta Trade Framework

Beyond its dedicated legislation, Alberta is involved in promoting free trade and labour mobility through:

1. Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA)
   • Alberta is a signatory to this national agreement (effective July 1, 2017)
   • The CFTA aims to reduce internal trade barriers across Canada
   • This aligns with Nova Scotia's Bill 36 (Section 2)
2. New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA)
   • Alberta partners with British Columbia, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba
   • Effective since 2010, this agreement enhances regional trade, investment, and labour mobility
   • Ensures certified workers and goods meeting standards in one member province are recognized in all others
   • Similar to Sections 4(3) and 4(4) of Bill 36, though limited to these four western provinces
3. Labour Mobility Act
   • Supports recognition of out-of-province certifications for regulated occupations
   • Allows workers to practice in Alberta without further training or testing
   • Mirrors Section 4(4) and 4(5) of Bill 36 but focuses specifically on labour mobility
4. Alberta Sovereignty Within a United Canada Act
   • Passed in December 2022
   • Addresses federal overreach rather than interprovincial trade
   • Allows Alberta to resist federal laws or policies deemed harmful to the province

Current Provincial Initiatives

Alberta is proactively addressing interprovincial trade barriers through:

• Regional Economic Corridors: Leading agreements with Saskatchewan, Manitoba (April 2023) and the Northwest Territories (July 2024) to create joint trade infrastructure networks
• Regulatory Streamlining: Working to reduce delays that impede interprovincial trade
• Infrastructure Investment: Actively pursuing cross-provincial infrastructure development
• Indigenous Partnerships: Engaging with Indigenous communities as key partners in major infrastructure projects

Provincial Leadership in a Federal Vacuum

Transportation and Economic Corridors Minister Devin Dreeshen has emphasized that Alberta is stepping up where federal leadership has been lacking. In his recent open letter to federal Minister of Transport and Internal Trade Anita Anand, he highlighted:

• The need to revitalize east-west trade corridors rather than relying primarily on north-south trade with the United States
• The importance of "politically de-risking" major infrastructure projects, especially with potential U.S. tariffs creating economic uncertainty
• Alberta's willingness to lead regional cooperation efforts while calling for greater federal participation

Our Chamber recently adopted a policy on the Establishment of a Pre-Approved Trade Corridor for Economic Growth and Investment

Proposed Federal-Provincial Collaboration

Minister Dreeshen has specifically called for:

• Establishment of a federal/provincial/territorial working group to address economic threats facing Canada
• Federal investment in interprovincial "mega-infrastructure projects" comparable to historic nation-building efforts like the Canadian Pacific Railway (1885) and the Trans-Canada Highway (1960s)
• A new collaborative approach to infrastructure development that ensures Canada's productivity and competitiveness for generations to come

The Alberta government believes these efforts will strengthen both the provincial economy and contribute to national prosperity by creating more efficient trade networks across Canada.

References

• Bill 2, Free Trade Within Canada Act: https://docs.assembly.ab.ca/LADDAR_files/docs/bills/bill/legislature_30/session_1/20190521_bill-002.pdf
• Alberta Queen's Printer (consolidated version): https://kings-printer.alberta.ca/documents/Acts/F13P3.pdf