At first glance, removing all inter-provincial trade/services barriers seems such a good idea.
After all, why should anyone in BC be prevented (or severely discouraged through rules/restrictions) from buying wine or cheese or beef or fruits/vegetables or any goods made in any other province of Canada?
Or vice versa?
Surely, producers/suppliers/manufacturers should be able to compete with those from other provinces, who must absorb extra transportation charges in addition to production costs!
And it just seems bizarre (maybe even stupid) that Canadians can easily find foods or products from many other countries on their shelves, while foods or products from other provinces are kept out.
“If British Columbia were to adopt a similar bill to those of Nova Scotia, Ontario and Prince Edward Island, or sign mutual recognition agreements with all Canadian provinces, the country’s economy could grow by an estimated $50.2 billion,” the Montreal Economic Institute calculated in a report last week. (Their full study is here: https://www.iedm.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/economic-note-052025.pdf.)
” Interprovincial trade barriers are potentially as costly as a 7% tariff on goods crossing provincial lines, inflating consumer prices by an estimated 7.8% to 14.5%,” a study by Queen’s University estimated.
“This artificial inflation stifles competition, hampers innovation, and curtails economic growth. The authors estimate that dismantling these barriers could boost Canada’s GDP by up to $161 Billion annually, or an additional $2,300 to $4,000 per Canadian per year. Yet, despite these potential gains, such barriers persist,” their report concluded. (You can read full details here: https://economicsandpolicy.ca/2025/03/31/interprovincial-trade-barriers-what-are-they-how-costly-are-they-for-canada-and-how-can-we-address-them/#:~:text=The%20paper%20underscores%20a%20startling,potential%20gains%2C%20such%20barriers%20persist..)
Protectionist trade barriers between provinces should have come down years ago … now especially important as our country faces sustained, aggressive economic attacks from the Mad Hatter in the United States.
“Buy Canadian” is not only a better idea: it’s now a key weapon in our struggle for economic survival!
So, assuming the produce and products meet national food safety standards, taking down those barriers should happen … NOW.
However, there’s another barrier that has also separated/divided the provinces: the provision of “services”.
Labour and services shortages in one province could also seemingly be easily solved by allowing workers from other parts of the country to migrate and set up shop where they’re needed.
But that deserves a lot more scrutiny.
What passes for satisfactory electrical work in Quebec may not meet BC requirements; construction specifications in Ontario may differ from those in Nova Scotia; and truck driving licencing controls in PEI may not meet restrictions in effect in Alberta.
What about professional services … especially in the health care field?
Licensing standards differ province to province; as do treatment protocols; and, even language proficiency requirements can be quite different.
And then there are the risks of allowing supposedly “skilled” construction, roofing, plumbing and electrical contractors from other provinces to show up after a major crisis (fires, floods, tornadoes), doing sub-standard work or, worse, taking deposits and then outrageously delaying or totally failing to perform.
That’s exactly what used to happen in Florida years ago, when contractors from other states (Alabama, Mississippi etc.) would show up after hurricanes that caused massive building/roofing/window glass damages .. and far too often, did substandard work or failed to perform at all after taking substantial deposits.
So Florida now forbids out-of-state contractors from operating there … unless locally licenced and qualified. (Yes, that means long delays for small projects to get done after major storms, but the risks of out-of-state “contractors” taking the money and disappearing has been all but eliminated … although there are still many complaints of rip-offs by Florida contractors! )
Canadian provinces should be cautious.
Provincial licencing and even examinations may make it more difficult to quickly drop existing “services” barriers … but without them, customers dealing with “from away” contractors could end up paying a much higher price than they ever imagined.
The inter-provincial barriers against produce and products should come down; but those involving provision of services … not so fast!
Harv Oberfeld
(Follow @harveyoberfeld on “X” for FREE First Alerts to new postings on the blog. No spam … just free alerts to new topics up for discussion.)
Off topic Harvey but worth a look in regards to trade and professional mobility.
https://www.quebec.ca/en/employment/working-outside-quebec/recognize-skills-work-abroad/quebec-france-agreement
https://en.talentech.ca/ressource/etudes-france-quebec-equivalence-diplome#:~:text=In%20Quebec%2C%20French%20diplomas%20are,skills%20to%20work%20in%20Quebec.
(Response: Not off topic: actually makes my point. I’m sure France looked at the professional/technical standards under which Quebec operates before agreeing to recognize credentials … and vice versa. That’s what Canadian provinces should do as well: don’t just let people in licensable services industries arrive and take jobs, put up their shingle or go on line and advertise for work …unless they show they have met the standards required in our province. Now that could very simple … just show a recognized certificate; or in more critical areas, take an exam. I just want to know that if I hire an electrician just arrived from Newfoundland (how would I even know!), he doesn’t do a job, and a day later, my home burns down! H0)
Hard to disagree with a word of this. Makes for a bland comment section. Haha
(Response: i’ll try to make next week’s blog, more controversial! 😁 Ho)
I agree! Hard to debate common sense!
One things for sure, we definitely need to pull tighter together as a nation wherever possible and wherever it makes sense because times are different and much more challenging since we and the world have a complete grade A number one wingnut in the Whitehouse to deal with.
(Response: These really are dangerous times: the Mad Hatter is getting even madder, especially after Elon Musk turned on him, bombarded him with criticisms,, accusations and revelations. And the fact that the “TACO” nickname has caught on may make it harder for Trump back down from his idiotic 50% steel/aluminum tariff … until American manufacturers start to hurt. Ho)
Yes I was thinking that toning down the nicknaming maybe the better of us, but not when I see how this super blind naive and backstabbing self aggrandizing president is green lighting Putins tyranny in Ukraine and possibly onward soon after if Ukraine packs it in. Even naive TACO trying to get the laughable nuclear deal with Iran for his big hollow peacemaker photo-opping instead of helping Isreal sooner, to stop Iran from carrying out that real threat of annihilating them. I do think time is really running out fast on Isreals clock and the Isrealis know it. How long they wait for photo-opping TACO to help is pretty scary. They’ll probably let TACO have his little self pleasing playtime, but not for long. Hopefully Isreal won’t have to go it alone, but they truly are a surprisingly resourceful people. They had to be by no choice.
I dont think it matters one bit either, what kind of deal could be had with Iran because theyll find if not already, and more likely have many ingenious ways to hide and put together bombs in the dark back lanes after midnight, so to speak. I think the Iranian leaderships thirst for Isreals destruction is no bluster and is absolutely set in stone.
Hope I wasn’t to forward or hard on the Mad Hatter. Doesn’t seem to matter anyways, he opened Pandors box when it could have been kept shut.
(Response: When I coined the Mad Hatter nickname, I wasn’t really thinking of it like an insult (like idiot, jerk, moron etc.) but as a simple description of the reality surrounding this man the whole world is dealing with these days. “Mad” could mean different things to different people: angry or crazy or demented or just annoyed or irate. I leave it to each reader to decide … but to me, when I watch Trump speak (or act) and wears that red hat, the nickname Mad Hatter fits! Ho)
There’s something definetly sick about him. At least a couple of those descriptions seem to be fitting, but Mad Hatter covers everything just fine.
(Response: Looking at what he has done in LA makes me think he may indeed be unstable … talk about emotional over-reaction! Ho)
My own personal experience with this is as follows. My university degree in science and then in education was done in Manitoba. Then I taught in Ontario and in Alberta where my credentials were accepted without a question.
When I moved to BC, I was told that I had to take two English courses to prove that I was proficient in English. I remember asking the powers that be (bureaucrats of course) what language they thought I spoke in the other provinces but they never responded to that one. I then asked what type of English courses was I to take and of course, the bureaucrats told me I could take anything as long it was an English course….. This really infuriated me as the courses didn’t even have to relate to teaching whatsoever!
The premier at the time was Vanderzalm and I recall writing to him at the time about the situation. He actually replied on an old fashioned typewriter to tell me that he was sorry but there was nothing he could do. I was quite impressed that he actually took the time to answer me. I did my two English courses with great resentment and was then qualified to teach in BC.
Years later, I found myself chatting with a new colleague recently arrived from Scotland. I asked him how many courses he had to take, coming here. He replied that he didn’t have to take any because BC regarded his education as “superior”. His courses were almost identical to mine, so I remember being absolutely shocked by this. I later also found out that French Immersion teachers out of Quebec were hired with minimum qualifications. These people usually had poor English and little experience in content subjects such as Math. They of course were not required to take any courses whatsoever because they were in high demand.
In conclusion, I think there can be uniform standards set up across the country set up so that professionals can move freely in the country. In other words, a teacher in PEI should have the same credentials as one in Ontario. It’s not really that hard to accomplish. The will just has to be there.
P.S. I am now recently retired and do not miss any of the bureaucracy in education whatsoever.
(Response: I agree that national standards would seem to be the way to go to enable full and easy mobility. Of course, in the case of Quebec (or Quebeckers moving elsewhere) linguistic proficiency could be an issue. I just don’t want us to have a “Florida experience” , where contractors from other provinces show up somewhere after a disaster, without local provincial certification, bonding or licencing, do lousy work ..and then take the money and run back home. Ho)
Good one Harvey.
In regard to the mobility of tradespeople across the country;
The “Red Seal” Interprovincial certification is a programme administered by the Federal Govt. with every province and territory participating. At present there are 54 trades with the Red Seal designation. The Interprovincial seal is earned by successfully completing a provincial or territorial apprenticeship and passing the Interprovincial exam, or meeting the requirements to challenge then pass the exam, the seal is attached to the provincial or territorial certification where the apprenticeship or exam was completed and that certification is recognised by all the country as the equivalent of the certification issued by all the provinces or territories in the same trade.
There can be some regional differences re: on the job requirements, and additional qualifications are sometimes required ( welding testing springs to mind) but generally interprovincial trade mobility is pretty seamless when dealing with the relevant govt. trade and apprenticeship depts.
However to your point of “ but those involving provision of services … not so fast!” is valid.
Holding an out of province certificate may not mean much if there is no requirement to hold a valid certificate or be in an apprenticeship to work at a recognised trade, these are non -compulsory trades. Compulsory trades have legislated apprenticeship or certificate requirements to work at that trade. In short, compulsory trades have oversight. Some non compulsory trades may have some oversight through other govt. agencies such as health and safety, gas or electrical, others none.
I’m all for lowering the trade barriers, but not at the expense of a low standard free for all.
Humber Hospital Ontario.
https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/article/recently-built-ontario-hospital-files-100-million-lawsuit-claiming-shoddy-construction/
(Response: Great info! Thanks. I had never heard of the “Red Seal” program: blogging can be so enlightening! As far as shoddy work, I wonder what my insurance provider would say if I hired an electrician licensed/certified in New Brunswick, but never tested/certified/licenced in BC … and we had a fire? Would I be covered? I would never be willing to take that risk! So Yes, if ALL the barriers are to e taken down … there should be a national standards/certification program. Ho)
I have a “Red Seal” certificate for my job.
Years ago I had two young security guards that working on our jobsite.
They were from Quebec and the English was good.
They were studying for their Power Engineering” tickets on their night shift as security and asked if I could instruct them to check the boilers and machinery as part of their nightly duties.
“Why?”
“Because it gives us written, audited “boiler time” towards our qualifying time on a Red Seal program as Power Engineers….”
Interesting
Within 2 years they had their “boiler time” and passed their BCIT power Eng course.
They then wrote the govt exam for the Red Seal tickets and moved back to Quebec.
The same program in Quebec had a huge waiting list and would have taken them 4-6 years.
Another friend did the exact same thing out here and now lives and works in Ottawa with his Red Seal ticket.
Interprovincial certification works….when the Provinces want it to.
(Response: Interesting. Thanks. Kind of addresses my point: if workers in specialist fields (health, contracting, electricians etc) should have to meet a certain national standard and be certified. Ho)
I am all for removing the barriers between Provinces, but what about the Unions….the battle to end the barriers will take a long time or..not.
(Response: I think that could be worked out. If there’s a will .. and set standards, there is a way. Ho)
I’m with non confidence here. I see no problem with non BC Canadian contractors working here if they meet BC qualifications.
But right now our own BC premier is gettin in the way of anther oil pipeline and we should immediately begin expressing our outrage!!!
(Response: National standards could be worked out …. if as I say it’s done with “caution” . Ho)
Removing Provincial trade barriers is long long overdue.
Protectionist ( think “Canadian” Dairy Marketing board that allows Quebec 50% of the Canadian market for milk, cheese and eggs…).
Or BC lumber that is sold in California cheaper than Nova Scotia.
As for the trades…
The workers have been going to where the work is… ( so many Newfoundlanders in Ft Mac Alberta they have their own radio station and restaurants)…for decades.
If a worker does substandard work….the marketplace will determine if they should be gone.
And if they do fraudulent work….then perhaps our internecine, byzantine, Provincial bureaucracy should be allowed to chase fraudsters from province to province without legal constrains and barriers that only seem to benefit criminals and the locally minded legal system?
More work for Lawyers! Hurray!
The current system creates protected, isolationist, provincial protectionist mindset….as China eats our lunch.
Time to grow up and join the real world.
A shocking concept ….but necessary if we are to survive as a strong, united, country.
Canadian Laws could be applied all across Canada to the detriment of….criminals.
(Response: I would take issue with your statement: “If a worker does substandard work….the marketplace will determine if they should be gone”. That’s not good enough in the case of health care workers (nurses, diagnostic technicians, lab workers etc) or electricians or mechanics etc etc where the implications of substandard work could be devastating. I’m not saying don’t allow mobility … but not instantly. A semi-trailer hauler in PEI or Saskatchewan surely should be tested if they want to take a hauling job in BC. If it takes a bit of time to check credentials or administer competency tests, I think most people would be okay with that. H.o)
A friend of mine is a long haul trucker from Nova Scotia.
He hauls all across Canada and the US on a weekly basis…for the last 40+ years.
His rig and his license must comply with every Province or State he gets pulled over in.
The local laws apply.
Same with Nurses or doctors.
A family friend graduated from Nursing schooling in Nova Scotia and lives and works here in BC ….for decades.
A family friend’s son became a doctor in NS, specialist training at Magill, worked as a heart surgeon in Alberta and moved to the US.
There are no issues with Canadian trained professionals…just the barriers that stop them from working interprovincially.
And yet, even with Provincial barriers, we still have bogus “nurses” popping up with alarming frequency in major metropolitan areas?
Immigrants with ESL issues…thats another story.
When I cant buy my favorite NS beer in BC but I can in Bellingham…..thats an issue.
(Response: I’m not saying don’t allow mobility of professionals …just don’t abandon caution. There ARE differences in requirements and even job specifications between provinces. This from the Public policy Forum: “Professional licensing requirements can vary significantly, creating hurdles for individuals and businesses seeking to operate in multiple provinces.” For example, a dental hygienist is some provinces is trained and can administer anaesthesia; in others not. Better know who can do what when hiring from away! Ho)