Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 13 FEBRUARY 2020

2019 Year End Update: New Trade Agreement Thresholds And The Continued Elimination Of CFTA Procurement Exceptions

Fasken
Explore more from Fasken

The governments of Alberta and Manitoba announced throughout 2019 that they will remove all remaining procurement exceptions under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA).

CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Marcia Mills
Marcia Mills
Karen Cheung
Karen Cheung
Author LinkedIn connections

Procurement Bulletin

Eliminating Procurement Exceptions

The governments of Alberta and Manitoba announced throughout 2019 that they will remove all remaining procurement exceptions under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). This represents a continuation of trade exception removals by Alberta (as highlighted in Alberta Eliminates CFTA Exceptions to Increase Competition) and removal of the only procurement exception for Manitoba (preference for Manitoba companies in procurement for representational purposes).

This follows on the heels of the July 2019 Summer Meeting, where the provincial and territorial Premiers agreed to revise the CFTA with the goals of:

  • an "immediate amendment" to the CFTA to allow all governments to unilaterally remove or narrow interprovincial trade exceptions; and

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.

View source

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

See more popular content from

Article

New Act Respecting Contracting By Municipal Bodies: How To Secure Your Bids

Effective April 1, 2026, Quebec's Act respecting contracting by municipal bodies fundamentally transforms how municipal contracts are awarded, moving beyond the traditional lowest-price model to embrace qualitative evaluation criteria including environmental practices, life cycle costs, and contractor performance history. Municipal bodies now have eight award procedures to choose from, along with new pre-tender processes that can limit competition to prequalified enterprises. Contractors must adapt their te
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
BCF Business Law
BCF Business Law
Article

Building Momentum: Canada Advances Major Projects Under The Building Canada Act

The federal government has published notices proposing to add the Mackenzie Valley Highway and Roberts Bank Terminal 2 to Schedule 1 of the Building Canada Act as projects of national interest. These potential listings, following a similar notice for the West Coast Oil Pipeline, provide the first practical indications of how the government may use the Act to advance major infrastructure projects through streamlined federal approvals while maintaining Indigenous consultation and environmental assessment requ
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
McMillan LLP
McMillan LLP
Article

Building Canada: Investing In Major National Projects

Canada is experiencing a surge in infrastructure investment driven by streamlined regulatory approvals, enhanced government financing mechanisms, and growing demand for energy and digital infrastructure. This guide examines the evolving legal and regulatory landscape that foreign investors must navigate to successfully structure, finance, and develop major projects across the country.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Article

Canada Launches Responsible Data Centre Development Principles: What Clients Need To Know

Canada has introduced a new national framework setting expectations for data centre infrastructure development, with 42 major industry signatories including Amazon, Google, Meta, Microsoft and NVIDIA. The Principles establish five core requirements covering local benefits, electricity cost allocation, environmental impacts, transparency and strategic value, though their practical implementation will depend heavily on provincial and municipal policy decisions.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Bennett Jones LLP
Bennett Jones LLP
Article

More Than Skin Deep: Ontario Considers A Makeover Of Cosmetic Injection Rules

A regulatory shift now under consideration in Ontario could reshape how the province’s medical aesthetic clinics operate. The proposal, which would change how nurses are authorized to administer medical aesthetic services, invites a broader look at how Ontario currently regulates cosmetic injections and how the proposed changes would align the province more closely with the regulatory frameworks already in place elsewhere in Canada. While these procedures are often marketed as routine “spa” services, they remain medical acts that involve prescription products and carry clinical risks.
CanadaFood, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences
Fasken
Fasken
Article

2026 Federal Budget: Highlights Affecting Financial Services

The 2026 Federal Budget (“Budget 2026”) proposes to grow the Canadian financial services sector, while introducing multiple checks on possible risks raised by new bank entrants and innovative technology. It also builds out existing policy measures to support digital innovation and combat fraud. There are various other measures that may be of interest to financial service providers in banking, insurance and payments.
CanadaFinance and Banking
Fasken
Fasken
Article

Canada’s Counter-Tariffs On US Goods: A Primer On What Canadian Businesses Need To Know

Effective September 8, 2026, Canada implemented retaliatory tariffs on certain U.S. goods in response to the initial 50% tariffs imposed by the US under Section 338 of the Tariff Act of 1930. To operationalize these measures, the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) issued Customs Notice 26-23, establishing binding administrative rules on how the surtax will be applied, calculated, and collected.
CanadaInternational Law
Fasken
Fasken
Article

Open Banking Milestone: Draft Supervisory Guidelines For Consumer-Driven Banking Released

The Bank of Canada (the “Bank”) has published two proposed guidelines relating to the accreditation process for prospective participants under the Consumer-Driven Banking Framework: the Participating entity accreditation application requirements under the Consumer-Driven Banking Act (the “Participating Entity Guideline”) and the Third-party service provider accreditation application requirements under the Consumer-Driven Banking Act (the “TPSP Guideline”).
CanadaFinance and Banking
Fasken
Fasken
Article

Life Sciences-Health Canada Takes Action Against Unauthorized Peptide Sales

On July 29, 2026, Health Canada announced that it had obtained a permanent injunction against a Québec-based company in connection with the sale of unauthorized injectable peptides in Canada. The announcement reflects Health Canada’s continued focus on peptide products and serves as a reminder that injectable peptides intended for human use are regulated as prescription drugs and are subject to Canada's drug regulatory framework.
CanadaFood, Drugs, Healthcare, Life Sciences
Fasken
Fasken