(AlbertaIndex, April 29, Tuesday) --- A recently introduced bill in Alberta will help create Canada’s second largest economy by creating new opportunities for trade and mobility for small businesses, and skilled workers and their families.

    Bill 1, the cornerstone of new legislation introduced by Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach, paves the way for the full implementation of the unprecedented Trade Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA), Canada’s most comprehensive interprovincial trade agreement.

TILMA eliminates barriers facing skilled professionals or trades people, such as a teacher or welder, when they choose to pursue career opportunities in British Columbia or Alberta. It also reduces costs and duplicate registration requirements for business operators looking to expand across the provincial border.

The governments of both provinces have committed to ensuring all current legislation will be consistent with the agreement, when it comes fully into force in April 2009.

The Bill aims to:

- reconcile corporate registration, which will help businesses, especially small businesses, by eliminating the need to register in both provinces;

- provide authority for Alberta to waive certain corporate presence requirements when energy regulators in both provinces agree to equivalent, high standards.

- amend the Government Organizations Act, consolidating provisions of the TILMA in one place to allow the agreement to operate smoothly.

“The TILMA has been a catalyst for how Canada and all provinces look at labour mobility and the exchange of goods and services,” said Stelmach. “Bill 1 will help ensure that Albertans can quickly take advantage of opportunities on both sides of the border without being hindered by unnecessary government and regulatory red tape.”

“The TILMA creates Canada’s second largest economy – a market of almost eight million people,” said Ron Stevens, Deputy Premier and Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations. “It will mean seamless access to a larger range of opportunities across all sectors of the economy.”

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