Canada’s regulatory cooperation activities
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Federal-Provincial/Territorial Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table
The Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA) entered into force on July 1st 2017, replacing the Agreement on Internal Trade. The CFTA established the Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table (RCT) which is a federal-provincial-territorial body that oversees the regulatory reconciliation process to align regulatory frameworks between all provinces/territories, and the federal government in order to reduce barriers to trade, investment, and labour mobility within Canada. It also promotes cooperation in the development of future regulations to avoid regulatory divergences, facilitate innovation and growth in emerging industries, and streamline approval processes to minimize the administrative burden for Canadian businesses.
Learn more about the work of the Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table and under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement.
Canada-European Union Regulatory Cooperation Forum
The Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) entered into force provisionally on September 21, 2017. It is the first Canadian bilateral trade agreement with a stand-alone chapter on regulatory cooperation. The chapter establishes the Regulatory Cooperation Forum (RCF) to facilitate and promote regulatory cooperation between Canada and the European Union (EU). The RCF helps lower trade barriers, makes it easier for Canadians to do business in the EU, and improves choice for Canadian consumers.
Learn more about the work of the Canada-EU Regulatory Cooperation Forum.
Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council
The Canada-United States (U.S.) Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) provides regulators from Canada and the U.S. the opportunity to work together to reduce unnecessary burden on stakeholders, while continuing to protect the health and safety of citizens and the environment.
The RCC provides a forum for stakeholders, including industry, consumers, and non-government organizations, to discuss regulatory barriers and identify opportunities for regulatory cooperation.
Learn more about the work of the Canada-U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council.
International discussions on regulatory policy
Canada seeks to advance regulatory cooperation globally by engaging in discussions on regulatory policy with international partners. This includes participating in fora such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development and the World Trade Organisation.