P.E.I. proclaims act to allow easier flow of goods and services between provinces

BORDEN-CARLETON, P.E.I. — It is now officially easier for many P.E.I. goods and accredited professionals to cross interprovincial borders. As of July 11, the province has proclaimed the Interprovincial Trade and Mobility Act (ITMA), which was passed in the spring sitting of the 2025 legislative session. The act opens the way for goods, services, and [...]

BORDEN-CARLETON, P.E.I. — It is now officially easier for many P.E.I. goods and accredited professionals to cross interprovincial borders. As of July 11, the province has proclaimed the Interprovincial Trade and Mobility Act (ITMA), which was passed in the spring sitting of the 2025 legislative session. The act opens the way for goods, services, and labour credentials to move more freely across provincial borders.

For those in some licensed professions, it means their licenses from their home jurisdictions will also count in P.E.I., whereas they may have been previously subject to the Island’s own, and potentially different, requirements. ITMA also introduces a 10-day service standard to speed up the transfer process. Partner provinces So far, ITMA’s partner provinces include New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, as well as the Government of Canada.

As other jurisdictions implement their own legislative frameworks for the partnership, P.E.I. will recognize them as reciprocal jurisdictions. Economic Development Minister Jenn Redmond used the example of a plumber licensed in New Brunswick who wanted to relocate and work in P.E.I. “We will recognize that license,” said Redmond. “They won’t have to reapply for their license; they will have that already in place and it just makes it freer and easier to do those types of labour and services.”

The work to decrease red tape and break down trade barriers between provinces has been ongoing for years, but it gained a sense of urgency following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump, whose subsequent threats have prompted Canadian governments to diversify and strengthen their markets outside the U.S. “This legislative framework is an important step in our commitment to Team Canada’s work towards a more integrated national economy. P.E.I. is doing its part and it will serve the people of this province because it means our residents will have more consumer choice,” said Redmond.

Kirk MacKinnon, CEO of Borden-Carleton’s MacDougall Steel Erectors, said that the past several years have made for challenging times for any business and his is no different. But efforts like the ITMA are positive steps toward creating new opportunities for Islanders. “We need certainty and we need opportunity, because that’s how we grow.

Having the possibility of increasing our potential customer base is good news. (And) being able to have the qualified workforce we need is critical and is how we can sustain our growth,” said MacKinnon.