Canadian Design and Construction Report staff writer
Toronto businesses from construction, manufacturing, food processing, apparel and technology sectors met with the mayor Sept. 18 to discuss the impact of U.S. tariffs and Canadian countermeasures on the local economy.
The roundtable focused on rising costs, supply chain disruptions, uncertainty around investment and workforce impacts, as well as challenges businesses face in finding new markets.
The meeting is part of the city’s response to trade uncertainty and its Economic Action Plan in Response to U.S. Tariffs.
Three priorities emerged from the discussions.
The city said it will continue intergovernmental advocacy on issues raised by businesses, including calls for a definition of “Made in Canada” and a commitment by governments to buy Canadian products.
The city also plans to focus on helping businesses diversify their markets and pursue export opportunities through TradeTO. That includes addressing practical barriers involving logistics, containers and freight.
Supply chain challenges were another focus, with the city calling for a Team Canada approach that connects businesses with Canadian suppliers and brings together governments, municipalities, business leaders, labour organizations and industry and community groups.
Feedback from the roundtable will be used to inform future business support programs and identify potential changes to TradeTO.
City officials will also continue working with provincial and federal governments on issues affecting Toronto businesses. Existing supports include TradeTO, the Love Local campaign, business advisory services, investment and competitiveness programs and tariff-related consultations and resources.
To access help from the city, business owners can arrange a one-on-one consultation to get personalized, professional advice on how to meet business challenges and maximize opportunities.
- Larger businesses: connect with your local Economic Development Officer and Sector Development Officer
- Small business owners and entrepreneurs: visit in person or connect online with the Toronto Small Business Enterprise Centre
- Take advantage of the city’s various funding opportunities for businesses and trade diversification initiatives
To monitor the impacts of tariffs, the Toronto Economic Insight and Trade Dashboard provides a unique set of indicators designed to capture business activity, trade volume and business sentiment for better understanding potential fluctuations in level of investment in the context of current economic uncertainty.
