March 18, 2022
Internal trade barriers are universally understood to needlessly hobble Canadian prosperity even as a “collective action problem” prevents any serious reform.
Tariffs on interprovincial trade are prohibited under the Constitution Act, but a range of non-tariff barriers – such as occupational licensing restrictions – impede the efficient allocation of resources and reduce productivity.
The failure to address this is akin to glancing at a $20 bill on the sidewalk, and just walking on past, in the metaphor from former Bank of Canada Governor Poloz.