Ontario Plans Historic Elimination of Interprovincial Trade Barriers

Ontario has introduced landmark legislation to eliminate all exceptions to interprovincial free trade, making it the first province in Canada to do so. The proposed law, driven in part by economic pressures from U.S. tariffs, aims to treat out-of-province goods, services, and workers the same as those from Ontario, provided other provinces reciprocate. Key components include expanded labor mobility, allowing regulated workers from other provinces to begin working in Ontario while their credentials are processed, and a new direct-to-consumer alcohol sales model that enables Ontarians to purchase products from producers in other provinces and vice versa. The Ontario Chamber of Commerce has praised the move as a bold step toward a unified Canadian economy, highlighting the potential to reduce business costs and boost opportunities for workers. Provincial officials estimate that internal trade barriers cost the Canadian economy up to $200 billion and reduce GDP by about eight percent each year. The legislation also seeks to harmonize regulations across provinces, simplifying requirements for businesses such as trucking and signage.