Trade agreements

The Province is a party to or subject to several trade agreements that dictate certain elements of a procurement. Where a trade agreement applies to a procurement, that procurement should be planned and executed in accordance with the requirements of that trade agreement.

• Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA): an agreement between Canada and the European Union aimed a reducing or eliminating tariffs, facilitating customs and trade, ensuring non-discriminatory market access, creating conformity assessments for product testing and certification, allowing labour mobility, opening up markets for government procurement activities, and fostering regulatory cooperation
• Canada-UK Trade Continuity Agreement (TCA): an agreement between Canada, the United Kingdom of Great Britain, and Northern Ireland which is based on the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreements (CETA) and aims to provide predictability and stability for business
• Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA): an inter-governmental agreement with the purpose of fostering improved inter-provincial trade by removing inter-provincial obstacles and promoting free movement of persons, goods, services, and investments within Canada
• Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP): an agreement between Canada and certain Asia-Pacific countries which aims to increase market access, lower trade barriers, and provide for enhanced regulatory cooperation
• New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA): an agreement between the governments of BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba that aims to create a barrier-free, inter-provincial market. NWPTA requires the Province and broader public sector entities to remove impediments across all economic sectors and, subject to identified exceptions and legitimate objectives such as protection of the environment, ensures:
  • No obstacles: government measures such as standards and regulations cannot restrict or impair trade
  • Non-discrimination: no preferential treatment of a province's people, investments, goods, or services except for justified actual cost-of-service differences
• World Trade Organization – Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO-GPA): an agreement to which Canada is a signatory that is intended to mutually open government procurement markets. The TWO-GPA establishes rules requiring open, fair, and transparent competition

A summary of trade agreement obligations can be found on the New West Partnership’s Trade Agreement website under Procurement Guidelines. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat issued Contracting Policy Notice 2021-6 in 2021 advising of updated trade agreement thresholds.

The information contained in these BC Procurement Resources is provided as general information related to the Province's procurement resources. This information is not exhaustive and may become out of date. This information is not legal, policy, or business advice and users should make such further enquiries they deem necessary with their legal, policy, business or other advisors. The provisions of the Procurement Policy (CPPM) and the associated Practice Standard take precedence over any information contained in these resources that may be inconsistent.