“This report from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business shows that Alberta continues to lead efforts to remove trade barriers within Canada – scoring 8.3 out of 10.

“Barriers to interprovincial trade and labour mobility remain shockingly high in Canada. The estimated cost to our national economy is upwards of $50 billion annually.

“As our country faces increasing challenges around energy and food security as well as pressures from rising inflation, the least we can do within our borders is remove barriers to trade and labour mobility. Canadians expect reliable supply and competitive pricing for all products, not the addition of unnecessary costs, delays and bureaucracy between provinces.

“Alberta has long been a leader in advocating for freer trade and we have walked the talk. Since 2019, Alberta has eliminated 21 exceptions from the Canadian Free Trade Agreement – by far the most of any jurisdiction. Alberta now has the fewest number of exceptions of any province or territory. That speaks for itself.

“At next month’s Council of the Federation meeting, I will be calling on my fellow premiers to follow Alberta’s lead and take concrete steps that remove barriers to internal trade and labour mobility. It is the least we can do to ensure Canada’s economy is as strong as it can be in these uncertain times.”