OFA strongly supports efforts to reduce interprovincial trade and labour mobility barriers, while safeguarding the resilience and integrity of Canada’s agri-food system under the Free Trade and Labour Mobility in Canada Act. Reforms must be sector specific, evidence based, maintain strong safeguards, and guided by inclusive consultation with stakeholders.

OFA recommends harmonizing trucking regulations, enabling interprovincial sales of provincially inspected meat, and easing professional licensing for skilled trades, while stressing the need to protect supply management, Ministerial Exemptions, and Ontario’s regulatory authority. With respect to the restrictions preventing smaller provincially inspected abattoirs from accessing customers in other provinces, we acknowledge the high degree of complexity involved and that any solution must maintain both food safety and import/export standards. However, we are confident that safe, flexible models are possible. OFA recommends engaging processors in developing practical regulatory pathways and supporting facilities with public investment—building on initiatives such as OMAFA’s Ready to Grow Pilot.

OFA urges governments to balance efficiency with food safety and biosecurity, invest in local processing capacity, and adopt a “Team Canada” approach that strengthens agriculture, expands trade opportunities, and protects the integrity of Canada’s food system.