The Manitoba government’s push to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers and promote Canadian-made goods is receiving strong support from the Portage la Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce, but the Chamber wants to see more than just announcements.
Earlier this month, the province introduced Bill 47, the Fair Trade in Canada Act, which would make it easier to do business across provincial lines by adopting a system of mutual recognition. The legislation is part of a broader effort to strengthen the national economy amid global uncertainty.
Stefanie Dunn, executive director of the Portage chamber, says the Chamber network has pushed for this kind of change for years.
“This is something that the Chamber has advocated for on every level,” notes Dunn. “Our Chamber in Portage la Prairie, the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, as well as the Canadian. We've collaborated with all levels of the Chamber across the country to push for this, especially in light of all the tariff talk that's been coming down.”
Chamber presses for long-term follow-through
Alongside Bill 47, the province recently signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Ontario, another step toward reducing regulatory roadblocks. Dunn says the Chamber followed that move by sending a letter to Manitoba’s premier and trade minister.
“We wrote a letter to Premier Wab Kinew and the Honourable Jamie Moses, who is the minister of Business, Mining, Trade and Job Creation,” says Dunn. “We congratulated them and acknowledged the agreement and the memorandum of understanding they had created with the Government of Ontario, but we just urged them to continue to push to remove any barriers.”
She continues that the letter highlighted the need to ease worker mobility by aligning credential recognition across provinces.
“You know, another huge part of this problem is the reciprocal recognition of licensing and qualifications,” adds Dunn. “Which is a huge barrier for skilled workers to move seamlessly across provinces.”
‘Buy Manitoba, Buy Canadian’ message lands on June 1
As part of Bill 47, the province also announced it will proclaim June 1 as Buy Manitoba, Buy Canadian Day, a move Dunn says the Chamber appreciates but hopes won’t be just symbolic.
“We always encourage people to shop Portage,” remarks Dunn. “You don’t see big box stores from Winnipeg with their names on the back of your kids’ soccer jersey. You just don’t because that’s not how it works.”
Dunn adds that even imported goods still support local businesses, as retailers have already invested to keep them on the shelf.
“We do want to support them and not see their dollars go to waste,” she says. “We just really don’t want it to be a shallow sort of publicity response to a bigger problem.”
Golf tournament success kicks off summer season
While the Chamber stays vocal on trade, it also recently hosted its 29th annual golf tournament, a highlight for many in the business community.
“The Chamber golf tournament is such an amazing day,” continues Dunn. “It’s just so good to see all these like-minded individuals come out, support one another, have some camaraderie and make new connections.”
The tournament drew 17 teams this year, and plans are already underway for the 30th anniversary event in 2025.
Looking ahead, Dunn notes the Chamber enters a quieter stretch for events but will continue supporting the broader community.
“Summer is a really important season for our nonprofits and our charities in their fundraising efforts,” she remarks. “So it’s our turn to take a step back and continue to support others.”
She wraps with a familiar message to the Portage community: “Let’s continue to be Portage champions.”