From Left to Right – Back Row: Denis Mahoney (Newfoundland and Labrador), Minister Ranj Pillai (Yukon), Minister Jamie Moses (Manitoba), Minister Diana Gibson (British Columbia), Minister John Lohr (Nova Scotia), Minister Warren Kaeding (Saskatchewan), Minister David Akeeagok (Nunavut).
From Left to Right – Front Row: Minister Jean-Claude D’Amours (New Brunswick), Minister Victor Fedeli (Ontario), Minister Caitlin Cleveland (Northwest Territories), Minister Chrystia Freeland (Canada), Minister Christopher Skeete (Québec), Minister Darlene Compton (Prince Edward Island), Minister Joseph Schow (Alberta).
Quebec City, Quebec – July 8, 2025
As global trade uncertainty continues, federal, provincial, and territorial governments remain committed to work together to strengthen Canada’s domestic economy and, over the past six months, Ministers have advanced internal trade discussions further than ever before.
Today’s Committee on Internal Trade (CIT) meeting in Québec City marked the seventh gathering of 2025, demonstrating an unprecedented level of collaboration and urgency.
Chaired by Minister Caitlin Cleveland of the Northwest Territories, today’s meeting provided Ministers with an opportunity to review and advance progress on the recommendations endorsed by First Ministers in February 2025.
Notable achievements include*:
- Together Parties have removed 30 per cent of remaining Party Specific Exceptions (PSEs) from the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).
- Parties have concluded financial services negotiations and have reached an agreement in-principle. Entry into force of the chapter is expected by the end of fall 2025.
- Parties are working to quickly expand the Mutual Recognition Pilot Project in the trucking sector in collaboration with Ministers of Transport and to have an agreement by fall 2025. A Trucking Hackathon will be held on July 15-16 in Toronto, bringing together experts from across Canada to identify new ways to reduce costly transportation barriers by aligning regulations in the trucking sector.
- Parties reached a consensus that will allow them to meet the direction of First Ministers to implement a Mutual Recognition Agreement focused on regulatory measures governing the sale of goods, except food. First Ministers have given a deadline of December 2025.
- All provinces and territories have committed to a 30-day service standard for processing labour mobility applications, and efforts are underway to implement a digital verification solution for tradespersons. In addition, several jurisdictions have already passed legislation to streamline labour mobility processes.
- Ten jurisdictions have agreed to a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) committing to advance Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) alcohol sales to support consumers being able to order their favourite Canadian wine, spirit, beer or other alcoholic beverage directly from the producer, for personal consumption. Parties will now work towards finalizing more detailed operating agreements, or implementing their own frameworks, required to implement DTC alcohol sales by May 2026.
Ministers also discussed the significant efforts of many jurisdictions to improve internal trade through legislation and MOUs.
While progress has been significant, Ministers remain committed to continued momentum and deeper integration of Canada’s internal market. The next CIT meeting will take place virtually ahead of an in-person meeting in Yellowknife this November.
*Detailed information is included in the Backgrounder.
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