Government of Canada announces the new Canadian Internal Trade Data Hub

OTTAWA, ON, April 15, 2024 /CNW/ - The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, today announced the launch of the Canadian Internal Trade Data and Information Hub. The announcement was made at the Canadian Chamber of Commerce's annual Hill Day, where Minister LeBlanc addressed business and trade association leaders.

The Hub provides open and accessible pan-Canadian data on key economic sectors including the agriculture, energy and transportation sectors, the movement of goods and services and interprovincial labour mobility. The interactive data platform includes user friendly tools, graphics and visualizations to provide valuable insights across the Canadian economy and better assess opportunities to strengthen internal trade.

This information will help federal, provincial and territorial governments work together to target and eliminate barriers to interprovincial trade and labour mobility. It will also enable Canadian businesses and workers to make timely choices about where to invest and where to work.

Developed by Statistics Canada, in partnership with the Privy Council Office, the Hub responds to calls from the business and academic community for free, reliable and timely data. The Hub will continue to evolve over time to include new data sources, including from provincial and territorial governments.

Today's announcement delivers on a key commitment from the Federal Action Plan to Strengthen Internal Trade. The Government of Canada continues to make progress on all elements of the Action Plan to reduce barriers to trade that drive up costs for Canadian businesses and consumers.

Quotes

"Good data is key to decision-making for governments and businesses. The new Canadian Internal Trade Data and Information Hub provides critical information which will enable us to make it easier for businesses to trade within Canada. In partnership with provinces, territories, and businesses, our government will continue to identify and remove barriers to trade and labour mobility and make life more affordable for all Canadians."

—The Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

Quick Facts

• Tools embedded in the Hub ensure users can make full use of the wide variety of data available, including information from business across the country on how they trade goods, access services, and what barriers they face, gathered from the 2023 Canadian Survey on Business Conditions. These insights can be broken down by geography, industry/sector, and size.
• The Hub will also house the results of the forthcoming Canadian Survey on Interprovincial Trade, going into collection in Summer 2024. It will be an unprecedented first-of-its-kind survey that will explore businesses' views and experiences on internal trade more thoroughly.
• New data on the Hub illustrates the critical importance of internal trade to the Canadian economy. For example:
  • More than $525 billion worth of goods and services moves across provincial and territorial borders annually – equal to almost 19% of Canada's gross domestic product.
  • Last year, one-third of all Canadian businesses participated in internal trade. In fact, the larger the company, the more likely it is to conduct internal trade – with nearly half of all Canadian business with more than 100 employees selling goods to another province or territory.
• Since the announcement of the Federal Action Plan to Strengthen Internal Trade in 2022, the Government of Canada has significantly reduced barriers to trade within its jurisdiction. To find out more, visit the federal Internal Trade website.

Associated Links

• Internal Trade
• Federal Action Plan to Strengthen Internal Trade
• Canadian Internal Trade Data and Information Hub Demo video

Stay Connected

https://www.canada.ca/en/intergovernmental-affairs.html

SOURCE Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs

(media only), please contact: Jean-Sébastien Comeau, Press Secretary and Senior Communications Advisor, Office of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, 343-574-8116, [email protected]; Media Relations: Privy Council Office, 613-957-5420, [email protected]