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ECONOMY: Alberta-BC trade agreement to soon cover schools, hospitals and municipalities
        (AlbertaIndex, July 30, Wednesday) --- Alberta and British Columbia are working towards extending their Trade, Investment and Labour Mobility Agreement (TILMA) agreement on labour mobility to cover municipalities, academic institutions, school boards and the health sector (MASH).
        The two governments said that starting April 1, 2009, the MASH sector will open up procurement opportunities, beginning at $75,000 for goods and services tenders and $200,000 for construction projects. This represents a further opening of tendering contracts from current rules governed through the pan-Canadian Agreement on Internal Trade (AIT).

When Alberta and BC signed TILMA in 2006, both governments agreed to a two-year transition period so each province could consult with its MASH sector before extending coverage under the TILMA.

In 2007, Alberta held province-wide consultations with more than 200 MASH sector representatives and associations and continued discussions with these groups until an agreement was reached.

“Participation of the MASH sector is critical for Alberta and BC to fully realize the benefits of the TILMA” said Ron Stevens, Alberta’s Deputy Premier and Minister of International and Intergovernmental Relations.

“Increased competition for purchasing contracts means our hospitals, schools, colleges, universities and municipal governments will be able to get the best possible price for the goods and services they need.”

Don Johnson, president of the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties, said: “We are pleased to have been involved in the consultation process on TILMA and to have had the opportunity to bring the concerns of our membership forward. We believe the revisions that came out of this collaborative process better meet the needs of local government and we hope that other provisions will follow suit.”

The special MASH provisions also include an exemption for non-discriminatory municipal land-use bylaws.

AUMA President Lloyd Bertschi said: “The Alberta Urban Municipalities Association is now satisfied that municipal concerns which the Association raised on behalf of its members have been addressed in the negotiation process regarding the MASH provisions.”

The Alberta government has pledged to work closely with MASH stakeholders to assist with the transition and implementation of the new provisions.


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