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Although tariffs have been mostly eliminated under the NAFTA, differences in regulations still present obstacles to trade, competitiveness and innovation. Accordingly, Canada's agenda has shifted to place a greater emphasis on reducing red tape by making regulations in a range of sectors more compatible and less burdensome between Canada and the United States, while maintaining high standards of health, safety and environmental protection. On 4 February 2011, Prime Minister Stephen Harper and U.S. President Barack Obama created the Canada-U.S. Regulatory Cooperation Council (RCC) to work toward minimizing differences in regulation. The RCC Joint Action Plan was officially released on 7 December 2011. On-going work on regulatory cooperation includes the following areas: agriculture and food, transportation, health, personal care products and workplace chemicals, the environment, and cross-cutting issues such as nanotechnology as well as ensuring that regulators consider the particular needs of small business.

Canada continues to show leadership in its commitment to the mutual supportiveness between trade and environmental protection objectives and policies, including in the context of multilateral, regional and bilateral dialogue, cooperation, engagement, negotiations and agreements. This commitment is reflected in all of Canada's recently concluded FTAs, including its agreements with the EU and with South Korea, which include ambitious, binding environmental obligations.

Furthermore, Canada continues to ensure the environmental sustainability of its trade negotiations by conducting Strategic Environmental Assessments (SEAs) of trade negotiations and agreements. The development of SEAs ensures mutually supportive trade and environmental outcomes, in accordance with the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals. These SEAs are consulted fully throughout the negotiations phase with the interdepartmental, academic, NGO and private sector communities.

The Canada-Korea FTA (CKFTA) entered into force on 1 January 2015. South Korea is Canada's seventh-largest overall merchandise trading partner and third-largest in Asia, after China and Japan. (…) The CKFTA will also cover virtually all other aspects of Canada-South Korean trade, including services, investment, intellectual property, government procurement, labour and environment. The agreement is projected to boost Canada's GDP by Can$1.7 billion and increase Canada's exports to South Korea by over 30%.

On 1 January 2015, the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement (CKFTA) entered into force. The Republic of Korea represents Canada's 7th-largest trading partner, and 3rd-largest in Asia. Overall, the Agreement is projected to boost Canada's economy by Can$1.7 billion and increase Canadian exports to the Republic of Korea by 32%. The CKFTA is an ambitious and comprehensive agreement, covering trade in goods and services, investment, government procurement, non-tariff barriers, environment and labour cooperation, and other areas of economic activity.

(…) The CKFTA (Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement) reinforces this evolution by also including a Trade and Environment chapter in the FTA.

The CETA (Canada-EU Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement)'s Trade and Environment Chapter provisions, consistent with Canada's existing environment agreements negotiated in parallel to FTAs, include commitments to foster good environmental governance, effectively enforce environmental laws, not waive or derogate from those laws in order to promote trade or investment, and promote public participation and transparency. In addition, the CETA expands the areas Canada traditionally covers in its environmental provisions by recognizing the importance of managing forests, fisheries and aquaculture in a sustainable way. (...)

The Canada-Honduras Free Trade Agreement (CHFTA) and parallel agreements on labour and environmental cooperation entered into force on 1 October 2014. Canada's two-way merchandise trade with Honduras has grown 58.6% in the last five years to reach Can$289.7 million in 2014. In 2014, Canada exported Can$45.1 million worth of merchandise to Honduras in both the agricultural and non-agricultural sectors.

The Canada-Panama FTA (CPaFTA) and parallel agreements on labour and the environment entered into force on 1 April 2013. Bilateral trade between Canada and Panama amounted to Can$106.53 million in 2014. Canadian merchandise exports to Panama were Can$95.45 million and imports totalled Can$11.08 million.

The Canada-Jordan Free Trade Agreement (CJFTA) is a goods-only trade agreement that entered into force on 1 October 2012 along with parallel agreements on labour and the environment. In 2014, Canada's merchandise exports to Jordan valued at Can$78.46 million and imports were valued at Can$62.52 million. Canada has also signed a FIPA with Jordan which entered into force in December 2009.