New Brunswick – Nova Scotia Partnership Agreement on Regulation and the Economy (PARE)

This Agreement details the articles of the understanding between: The Government of New Brunswick – and – The Government of Nova Scotia which will enhance competitiveness, improve productivity, contribute to workforce development and availability and positively influence issues of mutual interest by streamlining practices, removing duplication, and harmonizing regulations and practices between the Parties.

• WHEREAS, many businesses operate across the two provinces, as well as within and from outside of Canada; and businesses encounter different regulatory regimes and requirements in most provinces and territories;
• WHEREAS, the differing regulations represent a cost and burden to business, and an impediment to trade and competition;
• WHEREAS, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, being neighboring jurisdictions that share common objectives for improved productivity and competitiveness;
• WHEREAS, a foundation for reducing regulatory burden and promoting regulatory excellence has already been established through New Brunswick’s Red Tape Reduction Office and Nova Scotia’s Better Regulation Initiative;
• WHEREAS, Premiers recognize that the many successes achieved to date form the groundwork upon which to improve competitiveness; and that the Atlantic Procurement Agreement, which has been successfully implemented, demonstrates the provinces’ commitment to working together to improve trade and commercial opportunities and regulatory conditions within the region;
• WHEREAS, in December 2006, Atlantic Premiers directed their Ministers to consult with Atlantic stakeholders in order to target key areas in which opportunities exist for additional harmonization, and/or streamlining of regulations that would benefit the operation of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs); 2
• WHEREAS, stakeholders made broad recommendations for improving the regulatory climate and reducing barriers to competitiveness and sought leadership that would make real progress streamlining regulatory processes and implementing a greater service culture within Atlantic Canada;
• WHEREAS, the Council of the Federation has made internal trade barrier reduction and regulatory harmonization an economic priority; and improvements to Canada’s Agreement on Internal Trade remain of paramount importance;
• WHEREAS, provincial bilateral trade, investment, workforce mobility and regulatory harmonization Agreements have been implemented between Alberta and British Columbia, and a similar Agreement is being negotiated between Ontario and Quebec; and these large trade and economic blocks have garnered support as examples of efforts to improve economic conditions between the partners and for Canada’s economic union overall, a similar initiative between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia will demonstrate the Provinces’ commitment to an improved economic environment in this region;
• THEREFORE, an Agreement between New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to streamline, harmonize and/or simplify regulation is desirable, timely and achievable;
• AND while the initial focus of this Agreement is on developing and implementing the NB-NS Partnership Agreement on Regulation and the Economy (PARE), the signatories are prepared to extend the arrangement to other Parties willing to accept the terms of the arrangement.