On July 1, 2012 the New West Partnership Trade Agreement will come into effect for British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan.

What is the New West Partnership Trade Agreement (NWPTA)?

The NWPTA is an extension of the Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) between Alberta and British Columbia.

This new agreement has been established to include the third western province, Saskatchewan. The purpose: to help business owners trade more easily across all three provinces and attract investors. 

What Does it Mean for Business Owners?

• No Additional Business Registration Fees
  If you want to open an office or start serving customers in Alberta or Saskatchewan; there are now fewer fees. If you are incorporated in BC, you will no longer be required to pay the extraprovincial registration fees in Alberta or Saskatchewan. The only fee you will be liable for is the Name Approval Request. 

• Skills Mobility 
  If your trade or business requires a trade certificate, you will no longer experience restrictions on where you can work in Alberta and Saskatchewan.  The agreement lists over 380 occupations which no longer require additional exams or training to work in each of the provinces.
   
• Streamlined Regulations
  Any differences in provincial business standards or regulations will be eliminated. This will mean that whether you work in BC, Alberta or Saskatchewan, you will work to the same rules and regulations.

How Will it Work?

If you are a BC based incorporated business and would like to start operating in Alberta or Saskatchewan, your first stop should be the BC Registry Services website. On the website you will find local phone numbers for your area and answers to frequently asked questions.

You will be required to submit a Name Approval Request for the relevant province, at a charge of $30 in Alberta and $50 in Saskatchewan. The resulting Name Request Number (NR number) will then be used by the Corporate Registry to process your incorporation.

To find out more on how to submit a name approval request, visit bcregistryservices.gov.bc.ca.

Already Registered in Saskatchewan or under TILMA?

If your business is already registered under TILMA, or you are extra provincially registered to do business in Saskatchewan, you will be automatically transferred under NWPTA. No action will be required on your part.

Find Out More

To find out more about the agreement and how it can benefit your business visit the New West Partnership website.

Photo rights attributed to Scazon http://www.flickr.com/people/scazon/