Chamber welcomes Ont.-Man. trade pact

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This article was published 15/05/2025 (315 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Brandon Chamber of Commerce is welcoming the new trade agreement between Ontario and Manitoba, hailing it as a promising development for local businesses grappling with skilled labour shortages and barriers to interprovincial commerce.

Signed by Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew in Toronto on Wednesday morning, the memorandum of understanding is part of a growing national effort to dismantle trade barriers within Canada. The agreement is designed to enhance the movement of goods, services, investments and skilled labour between the two provinces.

The move is expected have significant implications for Brandon and the broader Westman region, chamber vice-president Jennifer Ludwig told the Sun on Wednesday.

“The MOU is good news for area businesses, and we are happy to see that the Manitoba government is following through with its promises to increase interprovincial trade, especially given the impact of recent cross-border and international tariffs,” Ludwig said.

One of the most eagerly anticipated outcomes of the MOU, she said, is improved labour mobility between the two provinces. The agreement includes provisions to make it easier for in-demand, qualified workers to move and work interprovincially, a shift that local employers will likely welcome.

“The ability to find skilled labour has been an ongoing issue for our members,” Ludwig said. “Any time we engage with our membership, that’s one of the first issues that comes to light. This agreement represents another step in the right direction to help address that.”

Though Ludwig could not provide specific data on the shortage of skilled labour, she explained that the labour shortage is a widespread concern. “Personally, in my business, we’ve had job postings out for a while, and I’d say it’s the same for nearly every business in town. It’s a struggle to hire skilled labour in any industry right now.”

She added the agreement is a major step forward for small- and medium-sized enterprises in the Brandon area, many of which have been exploring opportunities to grow beyond provincial borders.

“Businesses in Brandon and the province are very resilient and are always looking for different areas to expand,” Ludwig said. “This just provides them a new and different opportunity to hopefully grow their businesses.”

At Wednesday’s news conference, Ford said the MOU will increase market access for the two provinces.

“Our two provinces already do approximately $19.5 billion of interprovincial trade every single year, but we can do better,” Ford said. “As neighbours and partners within Canada, Ontario and Manitoba can lead the way by creating new opportunities for goods, services and workers to move freely between our provinces.”

Ludwig agreed with Ford on the need to open more markets.

“We’ve hosted roundtables with industries directly impacted by tariffs, including the agriculture sector, and the consistent message has been the need to open up new markets. It’s good to see the government listening and responding.”

While the chamber has expressed strong support for the MOU, Ludwig noted that more information is needed about how local businesses can practically take advantage of the new opportunities.

“The details are still coming,” she said. “We’ll be watching closely to understand exactly how Manitoba businesses can capitalize on this.”

The MOU aligns with broader national goals to strengthen Canada’s internal market and withstand the impact of U.S. tariffs, Ontario’s premier said.

“Working together with provinces and territories across Canada, we are building a stronger, more competitive and more resilient economy that will protect our workers and communities and tie our country together,” Ford said.

“Today’s MOU is just the latest step we are taking to unlock the enormous potential of true free trade within Canada, which will lower costs for families and add up to $200 billion to our national GDP. I’m grateful to Premier Kinew for his partnership and leadership in getting this MOU done, and I look forward to signing additional MOUs with other provinces as we move forward.”

Kinew said Canada is facing a tariff war on two fronts, and now is the time to build up the country.

“Through this agreement with Ontario, we will unlock more economic opportunities for people in both provinces,” he said. “As premiers, we are all working toward the common goal of powering our Canadian economy toward the future.”

As interprovincial co-operation grows, Ludwig said, local businesses remain hopeful that the Brandon area will not only benefit from increased trade and mobility but also play an active role in shaping the future of Canada’s internal economy.

“Any time you can decrease barriers to allow businesses to operate, it allows the local economy to grow and prosper,” she said.

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