Several Ontario businesses are preparing for tariffs as Canadian and U.S. trade negotiators failed to reach a trade agreement at the last minute on Friday night. Despite coming close, the White House proceeded with a 50 percent tariff on approximately $28 billion worth of Canadian goods, including steel, aluminum, and auto exports.
Kimberly Turner-Briscoe, the president of a Scarborough-based steel fastener supplier and distributor, expressed her concerns and challenges following the ongoing trade war initiated by Trump. She mentioned making tough decisions, such as shifting business focus away from the U.S. and reducing staff due to the impacts.
While disappointed by the tariffs, particularly Canada’s 25 percent sectional tariffs on fasteners, Turner-Briscoe commended the decision to walk away from a detrimental deal, emphasizing that no deal is better than a bad one.
Statistics Canada reported that the items affected by the new tariffs constitute around nine percent of Ontario’s total exports to the U.S. in 2025.
Prime Minister Carney criticized the U.S. for proposing terms that were deemed “uneconomic, unfair, and undermining the net benefits to Canada.” Consequently, Canada plans to implement retaliatory tariffs “dollar for dollar” across multiple sectors post-Labour Day.
Lana Payne, the national president of Unifor, voiced support for the government’s stance despite the challenges faced by Canadian workers due to tariffs over the past year and a half. Unifor, representing 320,000 workers, stands by the decision of Canadian negotiators to walk away from demanding concessions from the Trump administration.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford applauded the suspension of trade talks, labeling the proposed deal as unfavorable for Ontario’s steel, auto, and manufacturing sectors. He expressed confidence in overcoming the challenges ahead and emphasized the province’s ability to support impacted workers.
Giles Gherson, president of the Toronto Region Board of Trade, warned of the direct negative impact of tariffs on jobs and investments in the region, urging coordinated action from provincial and federal authorities against the tariffs.
Both Turner-Briscoe and Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow highlighted the importance of supporting local businesses amidst the trade tensions, emphasizing the need to reduce dependency on the U.S. market and create local job opportunities.
Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown emphasized the significance of standing firm against unfavorable deals and protecting Canadian workers and businesses, especially in light of potential plant closures and layoffs in the automotive sector.
Experts like Ian Lee and David Soberman cautioned that the Canada-U.S. trade war would be costly for Canadians, potentially leading to higher prices, unemployment, and business closures. Soberman emphasized the challenges of negotiating with a dominant economic power like the U.S. and stressed the importance of returning to the negotiation table for a better deal.
Tag: rewrite-pending
