Ontario Construction News staff writer
Hours after U.S. President Donald Trump announced a 25 per cent tariff on Canada imports, Canada hit back with counter-tariffs on a range of products including lumber and plastics.
“Tonight, I am announcing Canada will be responding to the U.S. trade action with 25 per cent tariffs against $155 billion worth of American goods,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Saturday, in an address to the nation.
Tariffs will be applied on $30 billion worth of goods starting Tuesday, followed by further tariffs on $125 billion worth of American products in 21 days’ time to “allow Canadian companies and supply chains to seek to find alternatives.”
Trudeau said Canada’s response “will be far reaching and include everyday items such as American beer, wine and bourbon, fruits and fruit juices, including orange juice, along with vegetables, perfume, clothing and shoes.”
Major consumer products including household appliances, furniture, sports equipment, lumber and plastics are also on the list.
U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing tariffs on Canadian and Mexican goods, he said in a statement on Saturday.
“I have implemented a 25% Tariff on Imports from Mexico and Canada (10% on Canadian Energy), and a 10% additional Tariff on China,” Trump said in a statement.
Trump’s executive order states that the tariffs will go into effect at 12:01 am Eastern on Tuesday, Feb. 4, a major blow to Canada’s softwood lumber producers who already face a 14.4 per cent duty on U.S. exports.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford said breaking Trump’s decision to break the existing trade deal with Canada is “disappointing” and “unjustified”.
“The coming days and weeks will be incredibly difficult. Trump’s tariffs will devastate our economy,” Ford said. “They’ll put 450,000 jobs at risk across the province. Every sector and region will feel the impact. “This is going to hurt Americans.
“It’s going to hurt Canadians. We’re going to see inflation happening down in the U.S. and Canada and it’s unjustified.”
