The Premiers and Federal Government Sign a Free Trade Deal

Guiding principles of the agreement include eliminating existing barriers and avoiding new barriers to trade, investment, and labour mobility, a facilitate movement of persons, goods, services, and investments in Canada.

• The lengthy Chapter Five on Government Procurement requires each party to provide open, transparent and non-discriminatory access to (including construction) procurement by all levels of government including government agencies.
• Exemptions include public private partnerships, public employment contracts and non-legally binding agreements.
• Article 507 addresses prequalification of contractors and significantly limits the government’s ability to implement local preference clauses or selection criteria.
• The Canadian government will be developing an electronic Canada-wide single point of access (SPA), consistent with international obligations. Once implemented, all covered governments and agencies will be required to make their tender notices available through the SPA.

The Labour Mobility Chapter Seven’s purpose is to eliminate or reduce measures adopted or maintained by the Parties that restrict or impair labour mobility and in particular, enable any worker certified for an occupation by a regulatory authority of one Party to be recognized as qualified for that occupation by all the other Parties.

We will obtain a complete analysis and make it available to members. Click here to read the Agreement.