08:09 AM EDT, 03/24/2026 (MT Newswires) -- With federal, provincial, and territorial ministers set to meet next week for the Committee on Internal Trade (CIT), the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is calling on governments to build on recent progress and ensure reforms translate into real improvements for small businesses trying to operate across provincial and territorial borders.

"Canada has seen more movement on internal trade over the past year than we have in nearly a decade," said Keyli Loeppky, CFIB's director of interprovincial affairs, in a statement. "The signing of the Canadian Mutual Recognition Agreement (CMRA) on the Sale of Goods and the introduction of mutual recognition legislation show governments are serious about tackling barriers. But momentum alone isn't enough - businesses need clear rules, consistent implementation, and fewer exceptions."

According to CFIB's latest State of Internal Trade report, business owners continue to face obstacles such as duplicative testing requirements, inconsistent provincial regulations, and restrictions on moving goods and services across provincial borders.

To ensure recent progress leads to real change, CFIB is urging the CIT to prioritize several actions at its upcoming meeting, including:

-- Quickly expand the CMRA to include all services, food, alcohol, and labor mobility.

-- Ensuring consistent and transparent implementation of the CMRA on the Sale of Goods.

-- Removing reciprocal requirements from mutual recognition legislation to reduce red tape.

-- Publishing details of the interprovincial trucking agreement and its implementation timelines.

-- Resolving federal-provincial barriers preventing provincially inspected food products from moving freely across Canada.

-- Accelerating timelines for direct-to-consumer alcohol shipments.