Trump Tariffs Target More Canadian Goods Amid Trade Tensions

US President Donald Trump's latest trade actions may not have a significant impact on Canada's economy, according to economists. Trevor Tombe, an economist and professor at the University of Calgary, said that adjusting what products are covered by tariffs 'isn't something that should be interpreted as escalation.'

The US has imposed import bans on certain Canadian goods, including some alcoholic beverages, dairy products, and motorcycles. The orders also remove 50 per cent tariffs from several products, such as toilet paper, cement, bedsheets, and salt.

William Pellerin, an international trade partner at McMillan LLP, noted that the newly added items on the tariff list amount to about $1.8 billion. He said the US has 'taken about $1.7 billion dollars off their list' by removing certain products.

The Canadian alcohol industry is expected to be hit hard, with an outright ban on Canadian alcohol products. Tombe said that 90 per cent of Canadian alcohol exports to the US will be affected, adding that roughly 13 per cent of Canadian alcohol production is exported to the US.