Alberta Economy, Jobs at Risk from U.S. Tariffs, Expert Warns

A new wave of U.S. tariffs has experts warning that Alberta's economy and jobs are at risk, even if the province's exports have been largely spared from the latest measures.

According to University of Calgary economist Trevor Tombe, Alberta could lose as many as 9,000 jobs in the long term due to the new tariffs, which were triggered after trade talks between Canada and the U.S. fell apart on Friday.

The potential job losses would come from Alberta businesses that must now operate with a large tax on their U.S. exports, Tombe said. But he noted that the indirect effect of tariffs is almost as large, affecting businesses that sell materials or services to exporters.

Tombe pointed to industries like agriculture and trucking as being particularly vulnerable due to the new tariffs, which have a 50% tax on Canadian goods worth billions of dollars.