Canadian Chamber says focus on trade flows within Canada-U.S. border arrangements critical and calls for governments to ensure application is adjusted on industry feedback

(OTTAWA) – March 20, 2020 – The Canadian Chamber of Commerce issued the following statement today on the agreement between the Government of Canada and the United States Government on the introduction of temporary border restrictions.

“Canadian businesses from coast to coast understand the critical nature of ensuring that goods and services are able to flow across our border with the United States. Cross-border trade places products on store shelves, enables servicing of critical technology, and brings in inputs that allows goods to move off the production line.

The Canadian Chamber welcomes the update provided by the Government of Canada and United States Government  on border measures to be introduced this evening. The commitment by both governments to permit commercial traffic across the border is critical to mitigate the serious negative economic impacts that COVID-19 will have on Canadian businesses.

While it is welcome that these measures will only be in effect for 30 days, we urge both governments to maintain an ongoing dialogue with the business community on both sides of the border to review the policy’s application by border officials. This also includes ensuring services, such business travelers, technicians, and crew re-positioning can move across the border as required.

We also want to ensure that both governments are simultaneously charting a rapid process for returning border operations to a normal state when circumstances permit.

Finally, we must not take our eye off the bigger economic picture. It remains vital for our two countries to work together to preserve North American competitiveness in a global context. This includes efforts together at the G7 and G20 to agree standards to ensure air cargo traffic can continue to flow within adequate safeguards.”

About the Canadian Chamber of Commerce – Because Business Matters

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce helps build the businesses that support our families, our communities and our country. We do this by influencing government policy, by providing essential business services and by connecting businesses to information they can use, to opportunities for growth and to a network of local chambers, businesses, decision-makers and peers from across the country, in every sector of the economy and at all levels of government, as well as internationally. We are unapologetic in our support for business and the vital role it plays in building and sustaining our great nation.

For more information, please contact:Phil Taylor, Managing Director of External Communications, at ptaylor@chamber.ca.