The three territorial premiers have signed a new agreement with Ontario aimed at breaking down trade and labour barriers.
According to a Monday news release, a memorandum of understanding was signed during Council of the Federation meetings in Huntsville on Monday.
The MOU will ensure the North and the province work to “eliminate red tape, cut costs for businesses and open new pathways for skilled workers to move more freely across the country,” the news release stated.
“For the North to reach its full economic potential, we need to reduce the barriers that make it harder for our people and businesses to connect with the rest of the country – and for them to connect with us,” Premier RJ Simpson was quoted as saying.
“This agreement is a step toward that: supporting labour mobility, streamlining certification and opening up new opportunities for northerners. It reflects a shared commitment to building a more open, connected and resilient Canadian economy.”
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In 2021, Ontario’s trade with Yukon and the Northwest Territories was worth $800 million with each territory. With Nunavut, that figure was $1.7 billion, the province stated.
Ontario also signed a separate MOU with BC on the same day.
According to the MOU between Ontario and the North, all four governments will adopt a 30-business-day service standard to speed up certification and licensing for regulated occupations.
They also commit to reducing unnecessary costs for businesses and workers looking to trade or work across Canada, finding opportunities for “regulatory alignment” in areas of technical safety, and eliminating as many “exceptions under the CFTA” – the Canadian Free Trade Agreement – “as feasible.”
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Ontario says it no longer holds any exceptions under the CFTA, but the MOU states the territories have a “unique context and developmental level” that may require preserving some exceptions.
When the CFTA came into force in 2017, the NWT, for example, secured the right to enforce BIP – the Business Incentive Policy – in its procurement, offering preferential treatment to northern bidders for government work.
The MOU published this week isn’t legally binding.
At the meeting in Huntsville, Canadian premiers say they discussed a range of topics including Arctic sovereignty through investments that directly support northern and Indigenous communities, energy security, emergency management in response to wildfires, and development of economic corridors.
Premiers emphasized the need for faster federal project approvals through a streamlined “one project, one review” approach. On national defence, they welcomed increased Nato spending and called for greater investment in the country’s defence.
Premiers said they continue to back a “Team Canada” approach to strengthen economic and security ties with the US, calling for the removal of unjust tariffs in trade negotiations.
Prime Minister Mark Carney, who attended the premiers’ meeting, will now visit Fort Smith with Premier Simpson on Wednesday before continuing on to Inuvik for a meeting with Inuit leaders.
Ollie Williams contributed reporting.
