Regina, SK – As Canada enters a trade war provoked by the United States, the nation’s provincial chambers of commerce have come together to present An Agenda for Economic Growth and Stability, a set of recommendations to Canada’s premiers to drive economic growth, strengthen domestic trade, and elevate Canada’s global competitiveness.

“This is a critical moment for Canada and our economy,” said Prabha Ramaswamy, CEO of the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce.  “It is vital to address the dual imperative of enhancing our own economic sovereignty while continuing to negotiate on shared interests with the U.S.  Unified and strong leadership from our premiers to break down internal trade barriers, accelerate energy infrastructure development, and ensure procurement policies support Canadian businesses will propel economic growth here in Canada. The time for action is now.”

Mirroring the premiers’ Council of the Federation, the Chambers of the Federation initiative outlines key priorities, including:

• Removing barriers to interprovincial trade and labour mobility: Provinces should introduce legislation that enables mutual recognition agreements for goods, services, and skilled workers, similar to Nova Scotia’s Free Trade and Mobility Canada Act and Ontario’s commitments.
• Making an immediate, unified and unambiguous commitment to a National Energy Corridor: Premiers should immediately sign a memorandum of understanding to facilitate the movement of oil, natural gas, electricity, hydrogen, and other resources across Canada, strengthening both internal markets and international trade opportunities.
• Bolstering domestic procurement and supply chains Provincial procurement policies should be aligned to prioritize Canadian content. This means increasing the weighting of local economic impact in procurement decisions, using trade agreement flexibilities to support domestic suppliers, and aligning procurement policies with key sectors such as manufacturing, agrifood, and steel. In parallel, governments should invest in strengthening domestic supply chains and our industrial capacity to meet economic needs.

• Strengthening Canada’s trade position with the U.S.: Chambers urge the federal government to accelerate the renewal of the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) to ensure stability for Canadian businesses.

“As business leaders across the country unite behind these priorities, we urge the Council of the Federation to take decisive action,” said Daniel Tisch, President and CEO of the Ontario Chamber of Commerce, who convened the group. “By working together, we can remove barriers that hold businesses back and create new opportunities for economic growth.”

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About the Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce The Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce is the voice of business in Saskatchewan, advocating for policies that drive economic prosperity and create opportunities for businesses of all sizes. Representing over 10,000 individual businesses, industry associations, and local chambers, the Chamber is committed to fostering a competitive business environment in the province. Learn more at saskchamber.com or follow @SaskChamber on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

For more information, please contact:
Josie Fries
Senior Director, Marketing and Events
jfries@saskchamber.com
306-781-3125