Ontario Introduces Legislation to Boost Trade With Other Provinces

Ontario Premier Doug Ford holds a news conference in Toronto, on March 4, 2025. Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP

The Ontario government has introduced a bill that will remove trade barriers with other provinces. It also says it has signed memorandums of understanding to improve trade with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

It was one of the commitments Ontario’s government made in its Throne Speech on April 15.

The bill, called the Protect Ontario through Free Trade within Canada Act, aims to cut red tape with other provinces that have similar policies and support economic integration in the country, according to Ontario’s government.

“For too long, we’ve let red tape and endless regulations hold back our economy, making us vulnerable to external threats, including from President Trump’s tariffs,” Premier Doug Ford said.

Ford said the legislation would create new markets for Ontario-made goods and opportunities for workers in his province.

Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation, and Trade Vic Fedeli said the province was “leading the way” for free trade in Canada. 

“The legislation being announced today and the historic funding we are providing through the Ontario Together Trade Fund will create new opportunities to grow our economy, secure our supply chains and unify our country,” he said.

Ontario also announced that it has signed agreements with New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to boost interprovincial trade among the three provinces.

The agreements say that workers qualified in one province will be considered qualified in all the provinces. It also means that goods and services acceptable in one province will also be acceptable in the other provinces.

Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said it was a significant moment for Canada.

“Nova Scotia is proud to be leading the way with Ontario,” he said, adding his province passed the Free Trade and Mobility within Canada Act in March.

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt said her province was “excited” to work with the other provinces.

“We encourage other Canadian jurisdictions that have not already done so to join us in driving progress on internal trade by tabling their own legislation to reciprocally remove barriers to trade across Canada, including through mutual recognition,” Holt said.

Ontario’s government said it would allow certified workers from other provinces and territories to start working in Ontario “immediately” as they finish a “streamlined registration process.”

It will include health care workers like nurses and doctors, the government said.

Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick said they will also work on a framework for direct-to-consumer alcohol sales.

The Ontario legislation will also establish a “buy Ontario, buy Canadian” day held on the last Friday of June every year.

In 2023, two-way trade between Ontario and other provinces and territories contributed $326.6 billion in economic activity, the government said.