The Canadian government has decided to impose new customs duties on American products in response to tariffs introduced by the United States on Canadian goods.
According to the Operative Information Center-OMM, products with a total value of approximately 28 billion Canadian dollars (20 billion US dollars) will be subject to these new tariffs. The list includes steel products, furniture, fresh tuna, cotton shirts, and various other commodities.
The new tariffs are scheduled to come into effect on September 8.
Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne described the decision as a "strategic" and "proportionate" response. He stated that the failure of trade negotiations and the decision by the administration of US President Donald Trump to impose a 50 percent tariff on Canadian goods compelled Ottawa to take reciprocal action.
The Canadian government also announced an additional 7.5 billion Canadian dollar support program to assist local manufacturers and workers affected by the trade dispute.
US President Donald Trump criticized Canada sharply on his "Truth Social" account, accusing Ottawa of "ripping off" the United States for years and labeling Canada a "difficult and unreasonable" trade partner. President Trump further indicated that customs duties on Canadian automobiles could be raised to 50 percent starting next January.
The White House claimed that Washington had offered broad concessions to Canada during negotiations, but alleged that Ottawa had put forward "unreasonable demands."
Experts warn that these reciprocal tariffs could negatively impact the economies of both nations. Specifically, the disruption of long-established supply chains is expected to lead to price increases and higher business costs. While diplomatic efforts to de-escalate tensions continue, the scale of the US-Canada trade confrontation continues to widen, highlighting the fragility of North American economic integration.
