Our Statement on Bill C-5, New Internal Trade and Major Projects Legislation

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce welcomes the introduction of Bill C-5, An Act to Enact the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act and the Building Canada Act.  

After months of externally imposed uncertainty and stalled investment decisions, there is an urgent need to kickstart major projects that businesses, investors and Indigenous communities can all have confidence in. We applaud the government’s urgency in introducing this.  

Businesses look forward to working closely with government to make rapid progress. Now is the time for bold action to ensure we stop holding up nation-building projects — like Roberts Bank Terminal 2 and Contrecœur — that will expand our trade capacity and strengthen our economic resilience. 

Businesses have been ready for true, free trade within Canada for a long time. The exceptions to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement limited its effectiveness — eliminating them is an obvious next step. 

While passing this bill would not fully unlock internal trade, as many of the remaining barriers fall under provincial jurisdiction and will require leadership and collaboration from Premiers, it’s a good start toward reducing the self-imposed barriers that act as a 21% tariff.  

We look forward to seeing Parliamentarians quickly rally around this important goal that will unlock our national economic potential, regardless of what our biggest trading partners decide to do. Canadians expect this done by July 1, as promised, and so do businesses. 

• Matthew Holmes, Executive Vice President and Chief of Public Policy, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

About the Canadian Chamber of Commerce — The Future of Business Success 

The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is Canada’s largest and most activated business network — representing over 400 chambers of commerce and boards of trade and more than 200,000 business of all sizes, from all sectors of the economy and from every part of the country — working to create the conditions for our collective success. The Canadian Chamber of Commerce is the undisputed champion and catalyst for the future of business success. From working with government on economy-friendly policy to providing services that inform commerce and enable trade, we give each of our members more of what they need to succeed: insight into markets, competitors and trends, influence over the decisions and policies that drive business success, and impact on business and economic performance.   

Media Contact

Shane Mackenzie
Vice President, Media and Stakeholder Communications
613.302.7683
smackenzie@chamber.ca