Canadian industry leaders consider options as tariff deadline looms

Canadian farmers are expressing concern about the impact of U.S. tariffs.

Goods are on the move at Fairview Cove cargo terminal in Halifax, but U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff threats could affect future shipments starting Saturday.

“We’re very vulnerable and so when our number one customer is deciding to make us less competitive into the American market, that is bad news,” says Sylvain Charlebois, director of the Dalhousie University Agri-food Analytics Lab.

Farmers could be in the crosshairs. Major exports from Nova Scotia to the U.S. include apples, blueberries, Christmas trees and beef.

The most recent numbers from the Nova Scotia Federation of Agriculture show $235.5 million worth of good were exported to the United States in 2022, equaling half of the province’s total exports for the year.

Alicia King, president of the federation, confirms they’ve discussed the next steps regarding tariffs, but she isn’t ready to show her hand.

“I don’t really want to disclose a whole lot of the plan necessarily at this point just because we have to really see what it is that we’re dealing with and what it is that’s coming at us,” Kings says.

Despite rumours tariffs were being pushed back to March 1, Donald Trump’s press secretary reiterated Friday afternoon that the 25 per cent levy would indeed take effect Saturday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is promising counter tariffs. One other thing King would like to see is easier trade between provinces.

“I would hope that this has brought to light the importance to work to collaboratively with our provinces rather than in our own individual silo or tunnel, so to speak,” King says.

Charlebois agrees that freeing up internal trade would ease the sting of Trump’s tariffs.

“Talk to any food companies, Clearwater, McCain, you name it. They’ll tell you that it’s easier to deal the U.S. then with other provinces because of labour laws that are different, labelling laws that are different, transportation rules that are different,” he says. “The Atlantic can actually be 10 times richer if we didn’t see any of these barriers. It’s inconceivable that we’re heating our homes with oil coming from abroad when we have Alberta.”