Canada and the United States enjoy one of the world's most integrated supply chains and prosperous trade networks. This long-standing economic relationship is supported by a shared commitment to addressing trade barriers through regulatory cooperation, which makes compliance easier, provides improved market access for goods and services, and lowers costs for consumers.
Yesterday, the Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board and the Honorable Shalanda Young, Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget (OMB), met with stakeholders from Canada and the United States to discuss progress on Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) initiatives. This follows a meeting between RCC co-chairs that highlights the importance of a renewed commitment to regulatory cooperation and transparency on regulatory collaboration. Existing work plans were reviewed to further strengthen joint efforts and new areas for collaboration were explored, such as reducing red tape for the agriculture sector and supporting advancements and innovation in transportation and auto manufacturing sectors.
The RCC was established in 2011 to make trade easier between Canada and the U.S. through regulatory cooperation. Its objective is to increase economic competitiveness while maintaining high levels of protection for health, safety, security and the environment for Canadians and Americans.
Since its inception, the RCC has undertaken a number of initiatives to facilitate cross-border trade, making it easier for industry to conduct business in both jurisdictions and lowering costs for consumers. Some examples include:
- aligned product testing methods on meat, making it easier for businesses to sell products in Canada and the United States, decreasing the costs to businesses and increasing the number of products available;
- simultaneous veterinary drug submissions to make the drug review and approval process more efficient, ensuring that companies only have to submit once so that products are brought to market sooner at a lower cost;
- aligned safety requirements for trains and train operators to enable greater efficiency for border crossing while maintaining high standards of safety; and,
- aligned positions at the international level on emerging vehicle technologies promoting cross-border supply chains, resulting in safe and cost-effective transportation while keeping pace with innovation and modern tools.
The close relationship between Canada and the U.S. presents ongoing opportunities to address crucial regulatory challenges to make real progress in challenging economic times. Canadian and U.S. regulators will continue to explore using the RCC to make it easier to conduct business across the shared border while protecting the health, safety and security of Canadians and Americans.
