Despite strong trade volumes, Canada lacks a formal policy guiding our economic and diplomatic engagement with China. The absence of such a framework has left Canadian businesses exposed to retaliatory measures, regulatory uncertainty, and missed strategic opportunities. A structured approach is urgently needed to guide trade, manage risks, and support long-term economic development.

Unpredictable trade policies, shifting international alliances, and the rise of protectionist measures— particularly from key trading partners such as the United States—pose significant and ongoing challenges to Canadian industries. For BC businesses, whose success is deeply tied to global trade, the uncertainty surrounding tariffs and market access discourages investment and undermines economic growth. Canada must adopt a proactive, flexible, and strategic approach to secure its economic interests, reduce dependency on volatile markets, and support domestic industry resilience.

Duty-free stores at Canada’s land border crossings are facing sustained operational challenges due to evolving border policies, geopolitical trade tensions, and lack of modernization. With traffic volumes still recovering post-pandemic, these 32 businesses—primarily located in rural or border-reliant regions—are experiencing significant revenue declines. This resolution proposes targeted policy reforms and regulatory modernization to ensure the long-term viability of the sector, which supports jobs, tourism, and small business ecosystems in border communities.

Canada must urgently prioritize and accelerate its defence spending to address escalating geopolitical risks, safeguard economic stability, and reinforce its international commitments. With growing global uncertainty and external pressures, Canada must act decisively to secure its military and industrial base.

The trading relationship Canada has with United States is incredibly important to the country’s economic development. While bilateral trade agreements like the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) help set guidelines for trade between the two countries, more work can be done to better support Canadian companies doing business with the U.S. such as: harmonize Canadian and U.S. regulatory standards and adopting common standards where feasible; while also streamlining customs procedures to reduce delays at the border by digitizing screening for better efficiency and strengthen Canada’s advocacy efforts to ensure Canadian exporter interests are represented.