Industries prepare for Trump tariffs

On the eve of Donald Trump’s inauguration ceremony in Washington, the possible imposition of new customs tariffs is worrying businesses in several fields of activity in Mauricie and Centre-du-Québec. The regional economy could suffer, warns the general president of the Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA), which sits on the Council on Canadian-American Relations.

Producers of milk, perishable products and small fruits would feel the impacts, fears the general president of theUPAMartin Caron.

These products are difficult to export anywhere other than the United States, he explains.

Agri-food exports from Canada to the United States represent $60 billion, so the exports we have to the United States are still quite significant. To think about putting tariffs, it is certain that it risks having impactswarns Mr. Caron.

In total, 60% of exports in Canada’s agri-food sector are sent across the border to the south.

The timber industry could also be hit hard. At Canadel, a furniture manufacturer in Louiseville, 70% of exports are intended for the American market.

President and CEO André Giguère is awaiting Donald Trump’s official announcement regarding the tariffs. These are threats, there is nothing concrete so far.

If the threats are indeed confirmed, Mr. Giguère says that the new rules will be analyzed, and that the company will have to comply with them. We won’t have a choicehe replies.

In Mauricie, some are more optimistic. The president of the Mauricie Centre-du-Québec manufacturers association, Dany Caron, even sees it as an opportunity.

We must see this threat as an opportunity to become more effective, more efficient in order to increase our productivity.he says.

Everyone agrees that such a decision would strongly affect the American economy, especially since Canada could respond.

It remains to be seen whether the 25% tariff will actually apply.

The Trump way is that he hits you on the head with a sledgehammer and after that, when you just get a sledgehammer, you don’t think it’s so bad.lance Dany Caron.

One thing is certain: Canada is preparing for a possible hurricane. However, we will have to wait a few more hours, or even a few weeks before the arrival, or not, of the hurricane.