New Brunswick’s premier says she would like to see a “free-trade zone” among Atlantic provinces.
Susan Holt said the idea was first raised during the last meeting of Atlantic Canadian premiers.
“I’m calling on my peers in Atlantic Canada to join in to a full and open free-trade zone as one economic unit here in Atlantic Canada for goods, for services, for labour,” Holt told reporters on Thursday.
The push for making interprovincial trade easier has come amid the trade war with the United States and the uncertainty surrounding tariffs.
Holt said she believes an Atlantic Canadian free-trade zone could be up and running “quite quickly.”
“I’m very optimistic that we as Atlantic Canadians, as Maritimers, work really closely together. We understand each other; half of us are related,” she said.
The premier also highlighted efforts her government has made to reduce interprovincial trade barriers from coast to coast.
New legislation introduced this week would eliminate long-standing trade barriers on alcohol, which include scrapping personal exemption limits on liquor for people entering New Brunswick.
The province is also looking at automatically recognizing certified workers from another jurisdiction for a minimum of 120 days, allowing them to work while obtaining any necessary provincial credentials.
