Chamber calls for removal of trade barriers amid ongoing trade dispute
Chamber calls for removal of trade barriers amid ongoing trade dispute
Chamber calls for removal of trade barriers amid ongoing trade dispute
By MEDICINE HAT NEWS on August 28, 2026.
The Southeast Alberta Chamber of Commerce says provincial governments must work together to simultaneously focus on removing barriers for businesses to grow amid the ongoing trade war between the U.S. and Canada started by the Trump Administration.
In a press release Wednesday the chamber says it is calling for immediate action to strengthen the nation’s competitiveness, reduce regulatory barriers and improve internal trade after a new round of tit-for-tat tariffs were actioned by both sides, increasing pressure on business across southeast Alberta.
“The region’s economy relies on integrated North American supply chains and strong access to domestic and international markets,” reads the release authored by president Aaron Fleming. “New tariffs and counter-tariffs are expected to increase costs, disrupt supply chains, delay investment decisions and create further uncertainty for employers and workers.”
The chamber calls the tariffs “uncharted territory” and says it’s important government remain focused on supporting businesses, workers and families through this period of economic uncertainty.
“Businesses in southeast Alberta are resilient, but resilience alone is not a strategy, as they’ve dealt with challenge after challenge for over a decade now,” said Fleming. “This trade dispute underscores the need to address longstanding barriers that limit Canada’s competitiveness. We need policies that encourage Canadian businesses to do business within Canada, and the infrastructure to do so.”
The chamber says it has already heard concerns from local businesses about rising costs, inventory availability, supplier challenges, inflation and policy uncertainty, and it expects those challenges to intensify as tariff costs affect supply chains and eventually lead to an increase in equipment, materials, technology and consumer goods.
“We need governments and governance that encourage international trade and open the routes up to business. We need governments on both sides of our border to remember the great allies we are and make a trade deal that builds our economies that jointly rely on each other,” says Fleming.
The chamber says internal trade barriers within provinces continue to restrict commerce and limit opportunities for businesses to expand locally.
“Canada cannot tariff its way to prosperity,” said Fleming. “We need to focus on what we can control. That means reducing unnecessary regulatory burdens, eliminating barriers to internal trade, improving labour mobility, accelerating nation-building infrastructure and creating the conditions that allow businesses to compete and grow.
“We need to tear down our internal borders, work together as a country and set an example on how to be neighbours to forge a trade deal that works.”
The chamber is also calling for a renewed focus on market diversification and export growth. Fleming says diversification is an investment in the country’s long-term prosperity and will help alleviate market challenges today.
“Too many Canadian businesses remain overly dependent on a single market,” Fleming added. “This is a critical opportunity to strengthen trade relationships across Canada and around the world, expand export opportunities and support businesses in reaching new customers.”
The chamber says it will continue advocating for local businesses and industry associations and working with governments to ensure local concerns are brought forward and that businesses have access to information and available support, including a new list of relief measures introduced by the federal government.