Western Provinces Sign Economic Deal

(CBC News)

The premiers of B.C., Alberta and Saskatchewan have signed a deal designed to help the three provinces remove barriers to economic development and function more as a single economic zone. Under the New West Partnership agreement, which was signed Friday in Regina by B.C.’s Gordon Campbell, Alberta’s Ed Stelmach and Saskatchewan’s Brad Wall, professional qualifications and business licences obtained in one province will be recognized by each of the partners.

“We signed an agreement today that creates an amazing economic force: the New West, an economic region of 9 million people strong and $555 billion in GDP,” Wall said. “It is an economic region that is home to a number of industries the world is very interested in right now.”

The deal means, for example, a teacher who’s certified in Saskatchewan will also gain certification in the other two provinces.

The provinces also agree to promote the region together. The three premiers will start doing that next month when they travel together on a trade mission to Japan and China.

They also say they’ll try to use the provinces’ joint purchasing power to get better deals from suppliers for things like prescription drugs. That should save all of them money, Campbell said. “If we jointly procure equipment for our schools or we jointly procure textbooks or pharmaceuticals, there are substantial savings for British Columbians, Albertans and people from Saskatchewan,” Campbell said. Read more here.