The New West? Western Canadian Region-Building in the 2000s

Between 2003 and 2010, British Columbia, Alberta, and Saskatchewan signed numerous policy co-ordination agreements, including, most notably, the New West Partnership Agreement. This essay details how these three western provinces expanded regional policy coordination, and demonstrates that efforts were focussed on facilitating internal trade and labour mobility, realizing cost-savings, and promoting international marketing and trade expansion. The essay suggests that decentralization and ideological congruence among the participating governments motivated them to pursue policy co-ordination and argues that although the provincial governments claim that regional policy co-ordination will result in economic growth, increased international investment, and a stronger united voice for the region, Western Canadian regional policy co-ordination efforts will likely have only limited impact upon the region's economy and its political influence within Canadian federalism.