A new trade deal between Manitoba and British Columbia is getting a thumbs up from the Portage la Prairie & District Chamber of Commerce.
The agreement, announced at a Manitoba Chambers of Commerce breakfast last week, is part of the province’s push to break down interprovincial trade barriers.
Portage Chamber executive director Stefanie Dunn says she’s thrilled to see the province taking action on an issue the business community has been raising for years.
“We are absolutely ecstatic to see this amount of progress from our provincial government and we certainly congratulate them on moving this forward,” notes Dunn. “That’s now two and counting provincial agreements that we have on trade and it appears that the premier is indicating that there are more to come.”
Manitoba seen as a leader in trade talks
Dunn says Manitoba is clearly playing a leadership role in pushing trade talks forward.
“I think it’s a pretty good indication that Manitoba seems to be the one pressing forward to have these conversations and to give the other provinces a nudge to come to the table,” says Dunn. “We’re really impressed that the premier has taken our advocacy to heart.”
She adds that the Chamber has been working closely with its partners and the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce to help bring these kinds of deals to life.
A+ credit rating sends strong message
Premier Wab Kinew also highlighted the province’s A+ credit rating from S&P Global during his remarks, something Dunn says sends a strong message to investors and entrepreneurs.
“We’ve always known that we have amazing opportunities here,” adds Dunn. “We’re open for business and we think that you know that A+ rating just kind of gives us that recognition that we’ve always known we have.”
Skilled labour recognition still key
Dunn says while the agreement is a great step, there’s still work to be done, particularly in recognizing the credentials of skilled workers coming from other provinces.
“We really need that credit recognition,” continues Dunn. “We need nurses to be able to come to Manitoba and get recognized that if they were trained and certified in Alberta, certainly they are well within the rights and meeting the standards to work as nurses here.”
Advocacy paying off
Dunn emphasizes the progress is a sign that local advocacy is making a difference.
“I think it’s again really important to think that sometimes people feel that, ‘Oh, what’s writing a letter going to do?’” remarks Dunn. “But this is exactly the reason that we advocate. We are champions of Portage, we’re champions of change, and we just continue to find examples of how our advocacy is leading towards that.”
Manitoba and B.C. team up to cut red tape and boost trade across provincial borders
The new trade deal between Manitoba and British Columbia is a memorandum of understanding (MOU) focused on enhancing free trade between the two provinces.
As part of Manitoba’s Fair Trade in Canada Act, the deal aims to eliminate interprovincial trade barriers by introducing mutual recognition regulations, meaning that goods and services approved in one province will be accepted in the other.
The Manitoba government plans to finalize these regulations by July 1, allowing for smoother, more efficient trade and labour mobility between jurisdictions.
The agreement is designed to create jobs, attract investment, and make it easier for businesses in Manitoba to sell their products and services across Canada.
Sign up to get the latest local news headlines delivered directly to your inbox every afternoon.
Send your news tips, story ideas, pictures, and videos to news@portageonline.com.
PortageOnline encourages you to get your news directly from your trusted source by bookmarking this page and downloading the PortageOnline app.