Memorandum of Understanding Between: The Government of Ontario And The Government of Nova Scotia (hereinafter jointly referred to as “the Parties”)

WHEREAS interprovincial trade barriers cost Canada up to $200 billion annually, and their removal has the potential to increase Canadian GDP by as much as 7.9 per cent over the long term;

AND WHEREAS the Canadian economy is currently subject to economic and geopolitical uncertainty, including various tariffs and tariff threats by the United States on Canadian products, which threaten Canadian workers and businesses;

AND WHEREAS the Parties are committed to significantly expanding the ability of workers and businesses within their respective jurisdictions to take advantage of commercial opportunities across Canada, and in doing so strengthen Canada’s economy;

AND WHEREAS the Parties trust federal, provincial and territorial regulatory bodies to make sound decisions that put the safety of Canadians first;

AND WHEREAS the Parties are demonstrating leadership by introducing enabling legislation aimed at leveraging reciprocal mutual recognition to reduce barriers to trade with other provinces and territories;

AND WHEREAS Ontario has been a leader in expanding opportunities for registered workers from other Canadian jurisdictions to work in Ontario, including through its “As of Right” model;

Through this Memorandum of Understanding, the Parties agree that:

  1. Upon receiving Royal Assent of Nova Scotia’s Free Trade and Mobility Within Canada Act on March 26, 2025 and upon the passage of Ontario’s Protect Ontario through Free Trade Within Canada Act (collectively, “enabling legislation”) there shall be no barriers to free trade between the provinces of Nova Scotia and Ontario.
  1. Work together on a bilateral framework for a direct-to-consumer (DTC) system, as well as with all other interested Canadian jurisdictions, to establish a pan-Canadian framework for DTC access to alcoholic beverages, so that producers have easier access to market opportunities across the country, and so that consumers across Canada have greater choice and access to a broader selection of alcoholic beverages.

Signed on the 16th day of April in the year 2025 in Toronto, Ontario.

Premier Doug Ford, Government of Ontario

Premier Tim Houston, Government of Nova Scotia