From Left to Right – Minister Joseph Schow (Alberta), Minister John Lohr (Nova Scotia), Minister Jamie Moses (Manitoba), Minister Victor Fedeli (Ontario), Minister Caitlin Cleveland (Northwest Territories), Minister Dominic LeBlanc (Canada), Minister Samuel Poulin (Québec), Minister Jean-Claude D’Amours (New Brunswick), and Minister Craig Pardy (Newfoundland and Labrador).
Yellowknife, Northwest Territories – November 19, 2025
Today marks a significant moment as federal, provincial, and territorial Ministers responsible for internal trade* announced an important agreement to advance trade across Canada.
The Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement (CMRA) on the sale of goods, was signed today by most jurisdictions (LINK TO CMRA SUMMARY AND TEXT). Governments across Canada regulate the sale of many goods to uphold various standards. However, when regulatory requirements differ between provinces or territories, they can create costs and barriers to doing business. This important agreement represents a turning point as the country works together to address these challenges. The CMRA ensures that businesses can sell their goods across Canada without having to meet duplicative regulatory requirements, unless the good is specifically exempted from the agreement.
CIT Ministers also endorsed the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Interprovincial Trucking, developed in collaboration with the Council of Ministers Responsible for Transportation and Highway Safety (COMT). This MOU reduces internal trade barriers in the trucking sector and facilitates the efficient movement of goods across the country. Once approved by federal-provincial-territorial transportation ministers, this MOU will be made public.
Today’s meeting in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, marks the ninth meeting of the Committee on Internal Trade (CIT) in 2025. Ministers reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening Canada’s internal market in order to enhance the movement of goods, services, and labour. An update was provided on Direct-to-Consumer alcohol sales. Governments who have not already implemented will continue to prioritize working towards the agreed upon May 2026 deadline for operationalization.
The Honourable Caitlin Cleveland, Chair of the CIT for 2025, expressed pride in the significant progress achieved this year, thanking her Ministerial colleagues and their respective trade teams for their constructive engagement and continued dedication to this important work.
Ministers emphasized the importance of maintaining momentum and continuing to deliver on key initiatives to advance internal trade in Canada. Ministers directed senior officials to identify priority sectors, such as housing, construction, and trade infrastructure. Willing jurisdictions will explore work on building codes in collaboration with other ministerial tables. This future work will be informed by feedback received from industry and other stakeholders.
Looking ahead, Nunavut will assume the role of CIT Chair in 2026, continuing the strong collaboration demonstrated this year and guiding ongoing efforts to unlock more opportunities for Canadian businesses and consumers.
*Due to territorial elections, the government of Nunavut and the Yukon participated as observers.
Have Questions?
Contact Us
