OTTAWA — U.S. President Donald Trump has imposed tariffs on U.S. imports today coming from Canada and Mexico.
The president's executive order hitting Canada and Mexico with 25 per cent across-the-board tariffs, with a lower 10 per cent levy on Canadian energy, took effect at 12:01 a.m. ET.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is scheduled to talk more about Canada's response, which will include tariffs on $155 billion worth of American goods, at 10:30 a.m. in Ottawa.
Here's the latest news (all times Eastern):
9:05 a.m.
Bea Bruske, Canadian Labour Congress president, says there are 1.5 million Canadian jobs on the line due to American tariffs.
In a media statement, she says that "urgent action" is needed to bring stability to "key industries." It's expected that the tariffs will have a heavy, rapid impact on Canada's automotive and manufacturing sectors.
Bruske says the government response needs to include "immediate support" for affected workers.
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9:00 a.m.
Kentucky Senator Rand Paul says in a social media post that U.S. tariffs will inevitably bring retaliation from Canada, Mexico and China.
The senator says this will lead to higher prices for lumber, steel, aluminum, cars and homes in the U.S.
Paul says that tariffs will lead to lowered U.S. exports for agricultural products and bourbon - a key export in his home state of Kentucky.
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8:30 a.m.
Candace Laing, Canadian Chamber of Commerce president and CEO, says that Trump enacting broad-based tariffs on Canada is forcing both countries toward a "recession, job losses and economic disaster."
Laing says that it is time for Canada to "double down" on protecting its economic sovereignty and security, calling the push to remove interprovincial trade barriers a step in the right direction.
She adds that Trump is trying to revive a "failed economic model from the 1800s" with his tariffs, and expects that Americans will soon see the "disastrous impacts" at home.
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8:25 a.m.
Goldy Hyder, Business Council of Canada CEO and president, says that no one wins in a trade war, and it will hurt workers, farmers and families across North America - especially in the U.S.
Hyder says that any trade issues should have been sorted out through mechanisms that exist in the Trump-negotiated Canada-U.S.-Mexico Free Trade Agreement.
Because that didn't happen, Hyder says that any Canadian response should be "strategic" to avoid compounding the harm and higher costs for Canadian families.
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8:00 a.m.
United Steelworkers union national director Marty Warren says Trump is trying to "crush Canadian workers" and force the government into "submission" with these tariffs.
Warren urges the government to take immediate action to match the scale of the American "attack" on the Canadian economy, arguing Trump has made "false claims" about Canada being an unfair trading partner.
Trump has ordered an additional 25 per cent tariff on all steel and aluminum imports on Mar. 12, which would stack on top of existing levies.
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7:25 a.m.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says in a social media post that his province will block American companies from bidding on provincial contracts.
Houston adds that Nova Scotia is "actively seeking" options to cancel existing contracts until Trump removes the tariffs.
Other measures being enacted in Nova Scotia include removing American liquor from provincially run stores, working to remove interprovincial trade barriers and further developing natural resources.
Houston says Trump is a "short-sighted man" who is wielding power without consideration for the "destructive impacts" his decisions have on Canadians and Americans.
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7:20 a.m.
Brian Kingston, Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association president and CEO says the tariffs will have "immediate" negative consequences on the North American vehicle supply chain.
Kingston says the tariffs will reduce vehicle production, increase sale prices and lead to manufacturing job losses across the continent, in a media statement..
The auto manufacturing sector contributes over $18 billion to Canada's GDP, according to the association.
Kingston says that "every effort" should be taken to remove tariffs as soon as possible.
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6:31 a.m.
Unifor national president Lana Payne says U.S. President Donald Trump has seriously misjudged the resolve and unity of Canadians, and he has misjudged how damaging this trade war will be for American workers.
The head of the union, which represents 320,000 workers, says the tariffs will hurt working people with higher prices for everyday goods, destroy jobs on both sides of the border.
Unifor is calling on all levels of government and industry to step up and co-ordinate a response to the continued tariff threats on targeted Canadian industries.
Payne says Canada's trade relationship has forever changed with the U.S.
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6 a.m.
A survey by KPMG finds two-thirds of Canadian business leaders polled say they can weather a trade war that lasts more than a year.
The report also says that 86 per cent support retaliatory tariffs against the United States.
Timothy Prince, the Canadian managing partner for clients and markets at KPMG in Canada, says the business community remains unwavering in its commitment to stand up for Canada.
The report is based on a survey completed last week of 602 business leaders from primarily mid-sized and large companies across Canada and industry sectors.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 4, 2025.
The Canadian Press
