Statement from Minister LeBlanc highlighting need for ambition following meeting of Committee on Internal Trade

OTTAWA, ON, June 29, 2026 /CNW/ - Today, the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy, and Parliamentary Secretary Tim Louis met with provincial and territorial Ministers responsible for Internal Trade at the Committee on Internal Trade (CIT) meeting to discuss ongoing efforts to further liberalize trade and facilitate labour mobility between provinces and territories. 

Following the meeting, Minister LeBlanc issued the following statement:

"Trade and labour mobility barriers hinder economic growth and add unnecessary costs and delays. We need to make it easier for businesses to sell goods and services across the country, and for skilled workers to apply their expertise where it is needed in Canada. The Committee on Internal Trade can play a leadership role in driving change across the country – but for that to happen, we must move faster on our priorities, and meet  established timelines.

That starts with driving forward the work needed to meet the commitments that First Ministers made in their meeting in January 2026, much of which lies in provincial and territorial jurisdiction. It includes:

• expanding mutual recognition to the services sector by the end of the year;
• aligning approval processes for new building materials and prefabricated homes by the end of the year;
• implementing digital public registries by Spring 2027 to speed up credential verification for skilled trades workers; and
• harmonizing key health and safety training requirements in the construction sector by fall 2026.

Together, these actions will enhance consumer choice, lower costs, make it easier for manufacturers and builders to do business across Canada, help construction workers move between provinces without repeating training, and support innovative building methods that can speed up the construction of more affordable homes.

During our meeting, we also touched on the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on direct-to-consumer alcohol sales. Though it was disappointing that provinces and territories missed the initial implementation deadline of May 2026, efforts are now underway to ensure that the framework is in place this summer.

We also spoke about our efforts to improve interprovincial trade in agriculture and food products, in line with the direction from First Ministers. As highlighted in the National Food Security Strategy, the federal government is taking action to help provincially licensed food businesses meet federal requirements so their products can be sold more easily across Canada.  

Finally, we advanced negotiations on amendments to Chapter 7 of the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, aimed at enhancing labour mobility provisions, supporting workers, and addressing labour needs across the country. I am optimistic that all jurisdictions will soon endorse them so that Canadians can start to benefit from the changes.

I look forward to meeting with my colleagues again in August in Iqaluit. Our collective goal must be to ensure that we are driving towards concrete, actionable outcomes, particularly at a moment when Canadians expect their governments to take action to make it easier to support Canadian businesses while making life more affordable."

Associated Links

• Internal Trade
• One Canadian Economy
• Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act
• Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement
• Canadian Free Trade Agreement
• First Ministers' Joint Statement
• Federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for labour meet to discuss shared priorities for workplaces across Canada

SOURCE Minister responsible for Internal Trade

For more information (media only), please contact: Jean-Sébastien Comeau, Director of Communications, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, President of the King's Privy Council for Canada and Minister responsible for Canada-U.S. Trade, Intergovernmental Affairs, Internal Trade and One Canadian Economy, 343-574-8116, [email protected]; Media Relations, Privy Council Office, 613-957-5420, [email protected]