Saskatoon StarPhoenix Staff
Saskatchewan’s premier says a new council has been implemented to advise and inform the province on the Canada-United States-Mexico-Agreement and related U.S. tariff issues.
Premier Scott Moe on Friday held the first-ever session of the Premier’s Advisory Council on CUSMA, a group the province says is comprised of business leaders from a variety of economic sectors and areas across Saskatchewan.
A CUSMA joint review between the three countries is set to start on July 1. Saskatchewan “will share its priorities leading up to and throughout the review process,” the province said in a news release.
“While CUSMA negotiations take place on a federal level, it is crucial that subnational voices like Saskatchewan’s are heard,” Moe said.
“With the U.S. being our largest trading partner, CUSMA and free and fair trade is essential for the economic health and prosperity of the province. As a significant trading partner with the U.S., it will be essential that Saskatchewan priorities are communicated with the federal government.”
Saskatchewan exports to the U.S. were valued in 2025 at $23.7 billion — roughly 54 per cent of the province’s total exports. Notable export products include potash, uranium, crude oil and canola. In 2025, Saskatchewan exported approximately $949 million in products to Mexico.
The province says the council is made up of “a cross-section of industries,” including companies that have significant exports to the U.S. as well as those that have been impacted by tariffs. Sector-specific roundtables will focus on agriculture, manufacturing, energy, mining and forestry.
“Saskatchewan’s resource economy depends on predictable, rules-based trade with our partners,” Saskatchewan Chamber of Commerce CEO Prabha Ramaswamy said.
“The chamber welcomes this advisory council as an important mechanism for ensuring the province’s priorities are heard throughout the CUSMA review process. From potash to canola to uranium, the businesses we represent have real stakes in the outcome of these negotiations, and we look forward to contributing to a process that strengthens Saskatchewan’s position in the markets that matter most.”
CUSMA, which was implemented in July 2020, replaced the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) as the free trade deal between the three countries.
