Excessive regulations, red tape and taxes killing prosperity and jobs in Canada.

[blackbird]

Sadly this has been the situation in Canada for years.  The Liberals have saddled Canada with regulations, red tape, carbon taxes, net zero objectives, and FN negotiation requirements.  This has pushed Canada into the mud while the rest of the world is desperate for our natural resources.  The BC NDP has done the same sort of thing.

This is what John Rustad says on Facebook, MLA and former leader of the B.C. Conservative Party.   He has it right.

quote

As the Iran Crisis Shakes Energy Markets, Canada & B.C. Misses the Moment

British Columbia keeps watching investment walk out the door at the exact moment the world is scrambling for reliable energy. The conflict involving Iran has driven oil prices above $90 per barrel as global supply tightens and shipping routes in the Persian Gulf face disruption. Countries everywhere are looking for stable suppliers. Canada should be in a position to meet that demand.

Instead, we are squandering the opportunity.

First it was Nutrien, the world’s largest potash producer, announcing plans to build a major export terminal in Washington State instead of British Columbia. Now Canadian Natural Resources Limited has delayed an $8.25-billion oil sands expansion because governments still have not clarified the rules around carbon pricing and methane regulations.

This pattern is becoming familiar. Major companies look at the regulatory landscape in Canada and choose to wait, scale back, or move their investments somewhere else. Every time that happens, British Columbia loses jobs, economic growth, and revenue that our province desperately needs.

The delayed oil sands project would add 150,000 barrels of oil per day to Canada’s energy supply. Projects of this scale generate enormous economic activity across western Canada. They also help solve another problem Canada continues to face: we are forced to sell much of our oil at a discount because we lack sufficient access to global markets.

Canadian heavy crude, commonly priced under Western Canadian Select, often sells $10 to $25 per barrel below global benchmarks because our export options remain limited and producers rely heavily on U.S. refineries instead of reaching world markets. That discount alone can cost the Canadian economy $15 to $30 billion per year.

In addition to the gracious energy discount we are also seeing jobs left left off the table. A new export pipeline from Alberta to the B.C. coast, combined with expanded oil production, would support 15,000 to 25,000 construction jobs and an additional 30,000 to 60,000 indirect jobs in engineering, manufacturing, trucking, and services. Thousands of those jobs would exist here in British Columbia through pipeline construction, port development, marine shipping, environmental services, and heavy equipment contracting. Just as importantly, expanding export capacity would allow Canadian energy to reach global buyers and reduce the discount that currently drains billions of dollars from our economy every year.

Energy exports moving through B.C. ports support longshore workers, tug operators, terminal staff, and countless small businesses that depend on industrial activity. Large energy infrastructure projects can contribute $10 to $20 billion annually to Canada’s GDP once they are operating. British Columbia captures part of that value through employment, port activity, and government revenue.

Instead, investment keeps slowing down. The delay announced by Canadian Natural Resources Limited reflects growing uncertainty created by federal policy. Ottawa continues to layer on new requirements for the oil and gas sector, including carbon pricing rules, methane regulations estimated to cost the industry about $15 billion, and a proposed emissions cap that hangs over future investment decisions.

Many of these same projects already plan to invest billions in carbon capture and emissions reduction technology. Those investments add enormous costs to development. Companies are being asked to spend billions to capture and reduce emissions while still paying an industrial carbon tax on top of those costs. That raises a simple question: if companies are investing heavily in carbon capture to reduce emissions, why are they still being charged a carbon tax for producing energy?

Canada’s competitors face none of these costs. Major producers in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Russia do not operate under carbon taxes or emissions caps. They sell their oil and gas into global markets at full price because they don't have to use other counties energy corridors.

Provincial policy also plays a role. Regulatory timelines in British Columbia remain long and unpredictable, and major projects face constant legal and political challenges even after years of review. A clear example is the proposed propane export expansion at the Ridley Island Propane Export Terminal near Prince Rupert. The project would expand Canada’s ability to export propane to global markets and support jobs in northern British Columbia, yet it now faces legal challenges and delays from several Indigenous groups despite already operating and providing economic benefits to the region. Investors watch these situations closely. When projects that have already gone through approvals still face years of uncertainty, companies conclude that British Columbia is too risky for major investment and move their capital to jurisdictions where governments provide clear rules and predictable timelines.

Indigenous Nations must be part of development in British Columbia. Consultation matters and partnership matters. Many Indigenous communities across western Canada already participate directly in energy projects, pipelines, and infrastructure developments. Those partnerships create jobs, generate revenue for communities, and provide long-term economic stability. That model works when governments focus on agreements and practical outcomes.

Unfortunately, Premier David Eby has done more damage to Indigenous negotiations than any government I have witnessed. His handling of issues such as the Cowichan Tribes v. Canada claims and the ongoing uncertainty around the Musqueam Indian Band new water rights deal that his government wasn't consulted on creates instability, and endless legal battles. Instead of resolving disputes and creating certainty, this government has pushed more decisions into the courts and allowed negotiations to spiral into conflict.

That approach fuels division and delays investment. At a time when British Columbia faces a $13.3-billion deficit, the public has very little patience for endless legal uncertainty and court challenges that stall projects for years.

The Supreme Court of Canada has been clear on this issue. Indigenous communities have the right to consultation and accommodation. They do not have a veto over development. Major infrastructure projects that serve the broader public interest cannot be permanently blocked through endless litigation.

British Columbians deserve a government that welcomes investment instead of pushing it away. Instead, we have an NDP government that has become politically incapacitated when it comes to economic development. Premier David Eby built his career as a protest activist. He seems to carry that same mindset into government. That approach might work on a university campus. It does not work when you are responsible for running a provincial economy.

The reality is simple. The private sector funds the public sector. Businesses create the wealth that pays for hospitals, schools, roads, and public services. The economy does not run on government press releases or policy announcements. It certainly does not run on Starbucks coffee and press conferences in downtown Vancouver.

Yet the government behaves as if investment will appear regardless of the policies they impose. Their latest budget proves the point. British Columbia now faces a $13.3-billion deficit, the largest in our history. That deficit stands as a direct indictment of how this government thinks the economy works.

The NDP continues to treat the private sector as an afterthought while layering regulations, taxes, and uncertainty onto the industries that actually generate revenue. This is not economic leadership. It is champagne socialism, the belief that government spending somehow creates wealth while the businesses that fund that spending are pushed further out of the province.

British Columbia needs a government that understands a basic fact: if investment leaves, the jobs leave with it. When billions of dollars in projects move to the United States or sit idle because companies no longer trust our regulatory environment, the cost appears in lost opportunities, weaker growth, and deficits that future generations will be forced to carry.   unquote

 

 

Edited March 8 by blackbird

[Goddess]

** waiting for the usual suspects to show up and explain how this has nothing at all to do with the Liberals and is solely the fault of Trump **

[herbie]

I totally agree on two of your three points. Although regulation is needed and asked for and doesn't exist in places it's needed, it is handled abysmally.

Taxes, no. If you really feel taxes are a burden, then you are financially better off than the average person. No one likes taxes, but they aren't crippling us by any means.

[blackbird]

The fact is unless Canadians stop voting for Liberals and NDP, Canada will continue to decline.  We have not been able to take advantage of all the natural resources we have in this vast country because of Liberal laws, policies, and taxes such as carbon taxes on corporations.  Canada will not change and improve if people keep voting based on personality.  We know Carney has a nice personality and that appeals to millions of voters.  But if their policies are not right, it is not going to help Canada.  Things will continue to get worse unless Canadians change their way of thinking.

[Goddess]

1 hour ago, blackbird said:

The fact is unless Canadians stop voting for Liberals and NDP, Canada will continue to decline.

Not gonna happen.

We will never see any other government in Canada besides Liberal.

Canada is toast.

It's why Alberta's best bet is......get out.  It will be the only thing left of what Canada once was.

[ExFlyer]

"Here the real detailed & verified information with links provided that Pierre Poilievre doesn't ever tell the Canadian people for it doesn't fit his narrative.

As of early 2026, all provinces and territories have signed the foundational Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA), but some, notably Quebec, have lagged in fully implementing changes, receiving lower ratings for reducing specific, often protectionist, internal barriers, notes this Public Policy Forum report.

While Alberta and Saskatchewan have utilized Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) rather than new, fully binding, comprehensive legislation in some cases, the core issue remains a decentralized system allowing significant local regulatory control.

* Lagging Jurisdictions:

Quebec was identified as having the most restrictive, or "last place," policies regarding interprovincial trade in 2024–2025.

* Voluntary Mechanisms:

Alberta and Saskatchewan,

while active in the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA),

have relied on MoUs with other provinces, such as Ontario, to address specific barriers, which are not always as binding as formal legislative changes,

notes TD Economics.

* Reasons for Slow Progress:

The Canadian constitution and

a decentralized federal system

allow provinces significant autonomy

to regulate trade within their borders,

often leading to protectionist policies

that favour local, or provincial, interests."

 

"

Some provinces have gone further than others, with Ontario, Nova Scotia and Manitoba arguably pushing the furthest. However, PEI and B.C. have recently signed legislation aimed at enhancing trade. On the opposite end, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador have been more cautious. Quebec also stands out in that it’s the one government yet to sign an MoU with any province, but has introduced legislation to make interprovincial trading freer, subject to criteria.

While gains from interprovincial trade should manifest from these actions, their magnitude will be restricted by several factors, including the fact that not all provinces have trade agreements. Moreover, geographic trade barriers remain, as do others (such as having to navigate complex tax systems). Finally, most firms that trade interprovincially already report doing so obstacle-free. "

 

https://economics.td.com/ca-interprovincial-trade?fbclid=IwY2xjawQiSDJleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETE0dGNXMXlaQWVIbkVvb001c3J0YwZhcHBfaWQQMjIyMDM5MTc4ODIwMDg5MgABHrxqcFU7Bo1gBra7keEtU35B_nzf7VOBI3s5mp3eS89L3-Rr616WabqXOo9m_aem_D9L3UVyrxozMLvDqVsY0CQ#:~:text=Some provinces have gone further,trading freer%2C subject to criteria

[John Johnston]

Efforts to boost interprovincial trade have kicked into high gear amid the U.S.-Canada tariff war.

Here’s a look at some trade agreements, legislation and proposals among provinces and territories that are in addition to the New West Partnership between the four Western provinces that has been in place in some form since 2010.

Comprehensive assignments

Manitoba and British Columbia: Manitoba Premier Wab Kinew announced on June 6 that his province is finalizing a memorandum with B.C. to cut trade barriers.

Ontario and Manitoba: Kinew and Ontario Premier Doug Ford signed a memorandum on May 14 to boost the movement of goods and labour between the two provinces, which would include direct-to-consumer alcohol sales.

New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador: The two provinces signed a commitment to look into knocking down labour and trade barriers on April 24. Andrew Furey, then-premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, said that rules requiring provincial seafood processing plants to favour local fish are not up for discussion.

Atlantic Canada: New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt proposed on March 21 an Atlantic Canada free-trade zone for goods and services as a direct response to U.S. tariffs, saying her province is prepared to adopt similar legislation to that in Nova Scotia aimed at removing barriers.

Industry-specific deals

B.C. and Alberta: B.C. Premier David Eby and Alberta Premier Danielle Smith announced a deal on wine sales in 2024. The agreement took effect this January and allows B.C. wineries to sell directly to Alberta consumers.

Legislation

British Columbia: The province introduced legislation in March described as giving B.C. “new tools … to respond swiftly and nimbly” to U.S. tariffs, such as giving cabinet the ability to implement some regulations without going through the legislature. The bill, providing for the removal of interprovincial trade barriers, eventually passed without the section that would have given cabinet power to bypass the legislature.

Manitoba: The province passed a trade bill in June removing barriers in trade for some goods and services between Manitoba and other jurisdictions with similar laws.

Nova Scotia: The province tabled a bill in February aimed at eliminating trade barriers with other jurisdictions, although the legislation was later amended after concerns about powers to override regulatory bodies.

Ontario: The provincial government tabled a bill in April, which officials say would make Ontario the first Canadian government to unconditionally remove all current exceptions to interprovincial free trade. If passed, the bill would also remove barriers against people in certain jobs seeking employment in different provinces, and would allow direct-to-consumer sales of alcohol to Ontarians across provincial boundaries.

Prince Edward Island: The province introduced legislation in April for both a reduction of interprovincial trade barriers and to promote labour mobility, allowing it to accept product standards from other jurisdictions with similar trade rules in place. The bill would also allow P.E.I. to recognize licensed professionals certified in other jurisdictions within 10 business days.

Quebec: The government said in May it was planning to withdraw at least five of its exemptions to the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, including requirements on racehorses, funeral directors, real estate brokers, ferry authority board members and the sales of explosives. Quebec also says it is looking to harmonize regulations on consumer goods with other provinces.

Yukon: It said on June 24 that it is removing five exemptions under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement and reviewing others. The government says limitations on procurement, real estate licensing, forestry, fisheries and agricultural land use have are being removed for trade with other Canadian jurisdictions. It says the items were chosen because they were the least complex to remove with the least impact on local residents.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 30, 2025.

Canadian Press Staff, The Canadian Press

https://www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/2025/06/30/heres-how-provinces-are-trying-to-remove-canadas-internal-trade-barriers/

[Nefarious Banana]

A mine owner friend told me recently that the average length of time between applying for permits to mine and approval time in BC is 17 years, and approvals for Vancouver Island are non-existent now.

There'd be no logging either if the provincial NDP had their way.  The only logging now is from private land holders.

BC is mired down by years of incompetent  NDP governments.  Saddle every industry with a mountain of regulations and ever changing goal posts, and then the NDP wonder why there's no investment / jobs, and everyone's taxes are rising with f'k all to show for it.

The Provincial/Federal NDP are the 'athletes foot' of a once strong running country.  Canada has toe-nail fungus, it's called NDP.

[John Johnston]

However, Smokes and beer is still more expensive in Manitoba. Jus sayin... 😢

[Legato]

21 minutes ago, John Johnston said:

However, Smokes and beer is still more expensive in Manitoba. Jus sayin... 😢

and 5" nails are more expensive in Toronto than 6" nails in Calgary.

Your point?