Upholstered and Stuffed Articles Reconciliation Agreement (2019)

The Governments of Ontario, Manitoba, Quebec, and Canada have negotiated a Reconciliation Agreement (“Agreement”) to eliminate red tape and reconcile regulatory measures that act as a barrier to the trade of upholstered and stuffed articles within Canada.

The Agreement was negotiated by technical experts and endorsed by the Regulatory Reconciliation and Cooperation Table (RCT) under the Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA). The Agreement addresses an item from the 2019-2020 RCT Work Plan.

The Agreement includes Party-specific as well as collective commitments to achieve reconciliation, including timelines for implementation; a process to address changes in circumstances; and procedures and timelines for the implementation of reconciliation and for the resolution of issues arising from implementation.

The Agreement aims to eliminate regulatory differences, overlap, and duplication while maintaining adequate levels of protection for consumers through accurate labelling information; reduce costs to business; and improve opportunities for trade.

Once all participating Parties have signed, the full text of the agreement will be published on the CFTA website.