Microsoft Word - 9287-NWP Backgrounder

NEW WEST PARTNERSHIP

BACKGROUNDER

 The New West Partnership is a new and far-reaching economic partnership between

the Governments of British Columbia, Alberta and Saskatchewan. The three

provinces commit to ongoing collaboration on innovative ways to strengthen the

economy of the West.

 Through the New West Partnership, the three provinces will foster strong, vibrant

and lasting prosperity for the region and our people. Innovative and competitive

businesses will be even more attracted to the region.

 The New West Partnership focuses on four areas key to economic growth in the

West:

 trade;

 international cooperation;

 innovation; and

 procurement.

TRADE

 The New West Partnership Trade Agreement is a comprehensive agreement to

remove barriers to trade, investment and labour mobility between British Columbia,

Alberta and Saskatchewan.

 The agreement covers all public sector entities, including government ministries and

their agencies, boards and commissions, Crown corporations, municipalities, school

boards and publicly-funded academic, health and social service organizations.

 The New West Partnership Trade Agreement comes into effect on July 1, 2010.

Saskatchewan will fully implement the agreement by July 1, 2013. An

implementation schedule is attached as Appendix A.

 The New West Partnership Trade Agreement satisfies Saskatchewan's concerns

regarding public ownership of Crown corporations and the ability of municipalities to

support economic development.

 The key elements of the New West Partnership Trade Agreement are:

 non-discrimination: workers and businesses from the three provinces will be

treated equally;

 transparency: provinces will notify each other to ensure that new measures,

including standards and regulations, are not unnecessarily different or result in

new impediments to trade, investment or labour mobility;

 legitimate objectives: provinces continue to have the flexibility to protect

important public interests, such as public security and safety, human, animal or

plant life or health, the environment, the health and safety of workers and the

provision of social services and health services;

 streamlined regulations: unnecessary differences in provinces’ business and

occupation-related regulations and standards will be eliminated;

 procurement: public procurements will be conducted openly and transparently,

ensuring equal opportunity for suppliers in all three provinces. Information on the

procurements covered by the agreement is attached as Appendix B; and

 dispute resolution: the three governments demonstrate their serious commitment

to the New West Partnership Trade Agreement by including the possibility of

financial penalties up to $5 million if a government is found to be non-compliant

with its obligations, and that government subsequently fails to bring itself into

compliance.

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

 Under the New West Partnership International Cooperation Agreement, Saskatchewan,

Alberta and British Columbia will collaborate on high-quality, cost-effective joint

international initiatives, including:

 undertaking joint missions or marketing visits;

 sharing resources in international markets, such as co-locating marketing offices

or personnel; and

 sharing market intelligence in areas of common interest.

 The first major outcome of the New West Partnership will be a joint mission led by

the three Premiers to China and Japan from May 14-22, 2010.

INNOVATION

 Under the New West Partnership Innovation Agreement, the provinces will work

together to coordinate provincial activities in research and development (R&D),

including:

 maintaining and sharing information on R&D activities in each of the provinces;

and

 undertaking joint innovation projects or activities.

 Initial joint activities the provinces will undertake include:

 advancing carbon capture and storage technology;

 exploring opportunities in value-added forestry to support diversification of this

sector; and

 sharing information on R&D activities for the purpose of identifying further

opportunities for collaboration.

PROCUREMENT

 Under the New West Partnership Procurement Agreement, the provinces will work

together to jointly purchase goods and services in order to achieve efficiencies and

cost-savings.

 This could include joint purchasing of health supplies or common government

supplies (e.g., paper or office supplies) and the standardization of procurement

templates and contracts.

APPENDIX A

NEW WEST PARTNERSHIP TRADE AGREEMENT

IMPLEMENTATION SCHEDULE

New West Partnership Trade Agreement comes into effect

British Columbia and Alberta fully comply with the agreement

Saskatchewan fully complies, subject to the transition

measures listed below, which will come into effect by the date

specified

July 1, 2010

Saskatchewan-Specific Transition Measures

Ministries to post all tendering on a common electronic

tendering system

Reconcile differences in commercial vehicle registration

rules

One Year Later

(by July 1, 2011)

Mutually recognize or otherwise reconcile differences in

regulations and standards that restrict or impair trade,

investment or labour mobility

Mutually recognize or otherwise reconcile differences in

business registration and reporting requirements

Non-discriminatory procurement rules to apply to Crown

corporations, municipalities, health regions, school boards,

and publicly-funded universities and colleges

All tenders to be posted on a common electronic tendering

system

Two Years Later

(by July 1, 2012)

Mutually recognize or otherwise reconcile differences in

measures related to financial services that restrict or impair

trade, investment or labour mobility

Three Years Later

(by July 1, 2013)

APPENDIX B

NEW WEST PARTNERSHIP TRADE AGREEMENT

PROCUREMENT

Procurements at or above these thresholds must be conducted openly and

transparently and ensure equal opportunity for suppliers in all three provinces.

Goods Services Construction

Ministries and Departments

Government Agencies, Boards and

Commissions

$10,000 $75,000 $100,000

Crown Corporations

$25,000 $100,000 $100,000

Municipalities*

Health Regions*

School Boards*

Publicly-Funded Universities and Colleges*

$75,000 $75,000 $200,000

NOTE: These thresholds are not automatic triggers for joint purchasing agreements under the New West Partnership Procurement

Agreement.

Applies to Saskatchewan after July 1, 2012.