Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney says Canada will impose retaliatory, “dollar-for-dollar” tariffs on selected US imports beginning September 8. The planned measures follow the United States’ enactment of 50 percent tariffs on nearly $20bn worth of Canadian goods.
Carney said the response would target US steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, paper and electronics. He said Canada had pursued an agreement but abandoned talks after the US introduced what he described as unfair and uneconomic last-minute terms.
What Canada’s response will cover
Carney described the measures as a “focused response” and said they would match the value of the US duties. He did not provide separate tariff rates for each affected US product category.
The Canadian prime minister said the government was acting reluctantly after negotiations failed to produce a deal that protected Canadian workers and families, strengthened the economy and respected Canadian sovereignty.
Related coverage: Canada to match US tariffs after trade talks miss Friday deadline.
How the negotiations broke down
The latest US tariffs had been announced in July and were delayed from an earlier deadline while negotiators worked toward an agreement. The revised deadline expired at midnight Eastern US time, or 04:00 GMT, after three days of intensive talks.
Carney said the US made last-minute demands involving car imports and restrictions on Canada’s ability to create new trade agreements. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said there were no future talks planned and that Washington would take measures in response to Canada’s retaliatory tariffs.
What happens next for Canada’s trade policy
Carney said Canada would continue strengthening commercial relationships with other countries and diversifying its trading ties. He argued that Canada could not control decisions made in Washington but could choose a new course for its own trade relationships.
More context: Canada vows dollar-for-dollar response after US tariffs.
The dispute follows years of close economic ties between the two neighbours. Carney said the gap between partnership and competition had remained too wide during the latest negotiations.
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