Ontario Construction News staff writer
The Ontario Chamber of Commerce is calling on Canada’s premiers to make internal trade a top priority when they meet next week, releasing a report that outlines recommendations aimed at creating a more integrated national economy.
The report,Towards a Single Canadian Market: Findings from the One Canada Summit, was released Thursday ahead of the Council of the Federation meeting scheduled for July 21-23. It follows the One Canada Summit, co-hosted by the Ontario Chamber of Commerce (OCC) and the Toronto Region Board of Trade.
A key recommendation is to support housing and construction by accelerating building code harmonization, creating a national framework for modular and factory-built housing, and integrating climate resilience into housing standards.
“Canada’s housing shortage has increased pressure to reduce barriers to residential construction and lower costs,” the report states. “While the National Building Code provides a common framework, provinaial variations create inefficiencies that impose higher operating costs for firms building across provincial lines.”
The call to action for housing includes:
- Accelerating national code harmonization
- Creating a nationally recognized framework for modular and factory built housing
- Building national standards for climate resilience into housing strategies
The report also recommends measures to improve labour mobility, harmonize regulations, strengthen transportation infrastructure, reduce barriers to investment and expand interprovincial market access.
“Canada can’t afford to leave internal trade half-finished, and it must remain at the top of the premiers’ agenda,” OCC President and CEO Daniel Tisch said in a statement. “A single Canadian economy would open new markets for business, connect talent to jobs, lower costs for consumers, get homes and infrastructure built faster, and catalyze new investment in Canada.
“And as the largest provincial economy, Ontario must continue to lead.”
The report draws on input from business leaders, regulators, government officials and industry stakeholders and calls on governments to adopt national and international standards by default, establish measurable targets and strengthen political accountability for implementation.
All levels of government are being urged to establish a common national credential recognition framework and invest in digital credential infrastructure to make it easier for workers to move between provinces.
To improve transportation and trade, the report calls for the development of a national transportation and trade corridor strategy, along with stronger enforcement, training and coordination across jurisdictions.
“Canada’s economy succeeds when people, goods, services, and investment can flow smoothly to opportunities,” Tisch said. “An integrated Canadian market will help businesses scale more easily, strengthen supply chains, and unlock growth that benefits workers and communities across the country.”
