The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) confirmed that doing business across provincial lines is becoming easier, but progress is slow.

In a report released on Tuesday, CFIB states that it is important for provinces and the federal government to remove barriers to interprovincial trade in order to improve productivity and boost the economy.

The report indicated that the vast majority of small business owners want governments to prioritize the removal of barriers, while just over half of those surveyed say they are losing productivity due to multiple sets of regulations.

Some progress has been made recently, including the federal government removing eight procurement exemptions from the Canadian Free Trade Agreement this year and committing to eliminate six more exemptions by the end of the year.

The federal government has also launched a domestic trade data center, while the government agency responsible for implementing the Canadian Free Trade Agreement has created an online portal for Canadians to identify potential regulatory barriers to trade.

However, CFIB clarified that there have been no significant improvements thus far in removing barriers to alcohol trade, or much in the way of reducing obstacles to doing business.

Gairo Younis, the Western Economic Policy Director at CFIB, stated in a release: "Despite some positive steps, overall progress has been minimal."

There was a small step recently to at least return to the status quo regarding alcohol shipments after Alberta imposed more restrictions earlier this year.

In January, Alberta’s Liquor Sales Regulatory Authority announced it would no longer accept shipments from British Columbia, and wineries stopped selling directly to consumers in Alberta. Last week, the provinces announced they had agreed on a path that would see the resumption of direct sales.

Overall, the report ranked Manitoba as a leader in interprovincial trade, while Quebec came in last.

CFIB noted that businesses looking to expand their operations across borders within Canada face numerous challenges, depending on the province or territory. All provinces and the federal government have implemented what is required regarding first aid kit standards, for example, while all provinces except the federal government have done so for life jackets.

CFIB explained that it has become clearer in categories like the licensing of novice truck drivers, where only about half of the provinces have completed it, while regarding building codes, all provinces are working on it but none have completed it.

CFIB recommends that governments across Canada quickly adopt a mutual recognition agreement covering all regulations related to the sale or use of all goods and services.