​If you are a prairie CEO who wants to grow a thriving company through these turbulent times, more quickly, more easily and with less stress and headache, please contact me here.

In terms of specific US products targeted by Canada’s March 4 and 13 counter-tariffs, the government of Canada website has a webpage listing each set of products. 

However, these two webpages are hundreds of pages long and include painstakingly detailed definitions and descriptions of all the different variations of each product.

So we've created simplified lists of those products here for easy reference.

Please note that we had an AI create these lists from the orginal Government of Canada webpages. While we had AI verify the accuracy of the lists, there may still be errors. For certainty on a product, search for and verify it on the webpage at the links provided below each list. 

The following US products are subject to Canada’s 25% counter-tariffs imposed on March 4, 2025:

Honey: Natural honey.

Tomatoes: Fresh or chilled tomatoes.

Beans: Fresh or chilled beans.

Nuts: Various other nuts.

Citrus Fruit: Oranges, mandarins, clementines, grapefruit, pomelos, lemons, and limes.

Melons: Watermelons.

Peaches: Fresh peaches.

Frozen Berries: Frozen raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, loganberries, currants, and gooseberries.

Coffee: Roasted or unroasted coffee.

Tea: Green, black, and partly fermented tea.

Spices: Pepper, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, mace, cardamoms, coriander, cumin, ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, bay leaves, and curry.

Rye: Rye.

Oats: Oats.

Rice: Husked, semi-milled, or wholly milled rice.

Rape Seeds: Low erucic acid rape or colza seeds.

Vegetable Extracts: Various vegetable saps and extracts.

Fish Oil: Fats and oils from fish.

Ground-nut Oil: Crude ground-nut oil.

Palm Oil: Palm oil and its fractions.

Sunflower Oil: Sunflower-seed or safflower oil and fractions.

Rape Oil: Rape, colza, or mustard oil and fractions.

Crustaceans: Shrimps and prawns, not in airtight containers.

Sugar: Cane or beet sugar and sucrose.

Molasses: Molasses from sugar extraction or refining.

Sugar Confectionery: Chewing gum, liquorice candy, toffee, and other sugar candies.

Chocolate: Chocolate and food preparations containing cocoa.

Food Preparations: Food preparations of flour, groats, meal, starch, malt extract, and milk products.

Tobacco Products: Unmanufactured tobacco, cigarettes, cigars, and other manufactured tobacco substitutes.

Sands: Silica and quartz sands.

Perfumes: Perfumes and toilet waters.

Cosmetics: Lip, eye, and manicure preparations, powders, and other beauty products.

Hair Preparations: Shampoos, hair lacquers, and other hair care products.

Oral Hygiene: Dentifrices and dental floss.

Personal Care: Shaving preparations, deodorants, bath salts, and room deodorizers.

Soaps: Soaps and surface-active products for washing.

Casein: Casein, caseinates, and casein derivatives.

Albumins: Egg and milk albumin and derivatives.

Protein Substances: Peptones and milk protein substances.

Plastic Coverings: Floor and wall/ceiling coverings of plastics.

Plastic Sheets: Self-adhesive plates, sheets, film, foil, tape, and strip of plastics.

Sanitary Ware: Baths, shower-baths, sinks, wash-basins, lavatory pans, seats, and covers of plastics.

Plastic Containers: Sacks, bags, and other articles for the conveyance or packing of goods.

Household Plastics: Tableware, kitchenware, and other household articles of plastics.

Plastic Building Materials: Reservoirs, tanks, doors, windows, shutters, and other builders' ware of plastics.

Rubber Tires: New and retreaded pneumatic tires for various vehicles.

Rubber Articles: Floor coverings and mats of vulcanized rubber.

Saddlery: Saddles and harnesses for animals.

Luggage: Trunks, suitcases, handbags, wallets, and other similar containers.

Leather Goods: Articles of apparel and accessories made of leather or composition leather, including gloves, mittens, mitts, belts, bandoliers, and other accessories.

Gut Articles: Items made of gut, goldbeater's skin, bladders, or tendons, such as catgut and other related articles.

Sawn Wood: Wood that has been sawn or chipped lengthwise, sliced, or peeled, exceeding 6mm in thickness, including coniferous and tropical wood varieties, as well as oak, beech, maple, cherry, ash, birch, and poplar.

Veneer Sheets: Thin sheets of wood used for veneering, plywood, or similar laminated wood, not exceeding 6mm in thickness, including coniferous and tropical wood varieties.

Shaped Wood: Wood that has been continuously shaped with features like tongues, grooves, rebates, or molding, including coniferous and non-coniferous types like bamboo and tropical wood.

Wood Boards: Boards made of wood or other ligneous materials, such as particle board, oriented strand board (OSB), and fiberboard, including medium density fiberboard (MDF) and other types.

Plywood: Plywood, veneered panels, and similar laminated wood, including those made of bamboo, tropical wood, and other wood varieties.

Builders' Joinery: Wood products used in building construction, such as windows, doors, posts, beams, shuttering, shingles, flooring panels, and engineered structural timber.

Wood Pulp: Mechanical and chemical wood pulp, including dissolving grades.

Paper Products: Envelopes, toilet paper, handkerchiefs, tissues, towels, tablecloths, serviettes, cartons, boxes, bags, stationery items like notebooks and binders, and other paper articles.

Printed Matter: Trade advertising material, commercial catalogs, pictures, designs, photographs, and other printed materials.

Knotted Carpets: Carpets and other textile floor coverings that are knotted, whether made of wool, fine animal hair, or other textile materials.

Woven Carpets: Carpets and other textile floor coverings that are woven, including hand-woven rugs, coconut fiber floor coverings, and pile construction carpets.

Tufted Carpets: Carpets and other textile floor coverings that are tufted, including those made of wool, fine animal hair, nylon, and other man-made textile materials.

Felt Carpets: Carpets and other textile floor coverings made of felt.

Men's Outerwear: Overcoats, car-coats, capes, cloaks, anoraks, wind-cheaters, and wind-jackets for men or boys.

Women's Outerwear: Overcoats, car-coats, capes, cloaks, anoraks, wind-cheaters, and wind-jackets for women or girls.

Men's Suits: Suits, ensembles, jackets, blazers, trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches, and shorts for men or boys.

Women's Suits: Suits, ensembles, jackets, blazers, dresses, skirts, divided skirts, trousers, bib and brace overalls, breeches, and shorts for women or girls.

Men's Shirts: Shirts for men or boys.

Women's Blouses: Blouses, shirts, and shirt-blouses for women or girls.

Men's Underwear: Underpants, briefs, nightshirts, pyjamas, bathrobes, and dressing gowns for men or boys.

Women's Underwear: Slips, petticoats, briefs, panties, nightdresses, pyjamas, négligés, bathrobes, and dressing gowns for women or girls.

T-shirts: T-shirts, singlets, and other vests.

Knitwear: Jerseys, pullovers, cardigans, waistcoats, and similar knitted or crocheted articles.

Blankets: Various types of blankets and traveling rugs.

Linen: Bed, table, toilet, and kitchen linens.

Curtains: Curtains, drapes, interior blinds, and valances.

Furnishing Articles: Other furnishing articles, excluding those of heading 94.04. (This note is included in the document.)

Sacks and Bags: Sacks and bags used for packing goods.

Tarpaulins and Tents: Tarpaulins, awnings, sunblinds, tents, sails, and camping goods.

Cleaning Cloths: Floor cloths, dish cloths, dusters, and similar cleaning cloths.

Other Articles: Other made-up textile articles, specifically including life-jackets and belts for occupational use, excluding other items listed under 6307.90 that are specifically noted.

Textile Sets: Sets of woven fabric and yarn for making textile articles.

Worn Clothing: Worn clothing and other worn textile articles.

Rags and Scrap: Used or new rags, scrap twine, cordage, rope, and cables.

Waterproof Footwear: Waterproof footwear with rubber or plastic outer soles and uppers.

Other Footwear: Various other footwear with rubber or plastic outer soles and uppers.

Leather Footwear: Footwear with leather uppers and various types of outer soles.

Textile Footwear: Footwear with textile uppers and various types of outer soles.

Other Footwear: Other types of footwear.

Hats and Headgear: Various types of hats and headgear, including safety headgear.

Sanitary Fixtures: Ceramic sinks, wash basins, baths, toilets, and similar items.

Glassware: Tableware, drinking glasses, and other decorative glassware.

Precious Materials: Diamonds, silver, and platinum in various forms.

Jewelry: Articles of jewelry and imitation jewelry.

Stoves: Domestic cooking appliances made of iron or steel.

Hand Tools: Saws, pliers, wrenches, screwdrivers, and various other tools.

Cutlery: Knives, razors, scissors, and other cutlery items.

Tableware: Spoons, forks, ladles, and other kitchen or tableware.

Locks: Padlocks and other locks made of base metal.

Fans: Table, floor, and other types of electric fans.

Refrigeration: Refrigerators and freezers for household use.

Kitchen Machinery: Equipment for cooking, washing dishes, and other kitchen tasks.

Snow Removal: Snow-ploughs and snow-blowers.

Lawn Mowers: Mowers for lawns, parks, and sports grounds.

Washing Machines: Household or laundry-type washing machines.

Textile Machinery: Machines for drying textiles.

Power Tools: Pneumatic and electric hand tools.

Vacuum Cleaners: Vacuum cleaners with electric motors.

Domestic Appliances: Food grinders, mixers, juice extractors, and other appliances.

Personal Care: Shavers, hair clippers, and hair-removing appliances.

Hair Appliances: Hair dryers, curlers, and hand dryers.

Irons: Electric smoothing irons.

Ovens: Microwave ovens and other cooking ovens.

Coffee Makers: Electric coffee and tea makers.

Toasters: Electric toasters.

Vaporizers: Electronic cigarettes and similar devices.

Motorcycles: Various types of motorcycles and related vehicles, including those with different engine sizes and electric motors.

Unmanned Aircraft: Different kinds of unmanned aircraft, including those designed for passenger transport and remote-controlled models with varying weights.

Firearms: Revolvers, pistols, shotguns, rifles, and other related devices, including those used for sporting, hunting, and signaling.

Air Guns: Spring, air, or gas guns and pistols.

Ammunition: Various types of ammunition, including shotgun cartridges and other cartridges for different purposes.

Seats: A range of seats, including swivel seats, convertible seats, and seats made from different materials like wood, metal, cane, or rattan.

Furniture: Metal, wooden, and plastic furniture for offices, kitchens, bedrooms, and other uses, including items made from bamboo and rattan.

Bedding: Mattress supports, mattresses, quilts, bedspreads, eiderdowns, duvets, pillows, and cushions.

Lighting: Chandeliers, ceiling lights, table lamps, floor lamps, Christmas tree lights, and other electric and non-electric lighting fixtures.

Games: Coin-operated games and playing cards.

Lighters: Pocket lighters, both refillable and non-refillable.

Paintings: Original paintings, drawings, and pastels by artists.


The following products are subject to tariffs once their import volume has reached a certain quota.

Live Poultry: Chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, and guinea fowl.

Poultry Meat: Fresh, chilled, or frozen cuts and offal of chickens and turkeys.

Poultry Fat: Fat from chickens and turkeys, not rendered or extracted.

Processed Poultry: Salted, in brine, dried, or smoked meat and offal of chickens and turkeys.

Dairy Products: Milk, cream, yogurt, buttermilk, whey, butter, cheese, and curd.

Eggs: Fresh, preserved, or cooked birds' eggs, and egg yolks.

Wheat: Durum and other types of wheat.

Barley: Barley.

Wheat Flour: Wheat or meslin flour.

Margarine: Margarine and butter substitutes.

Sausages: Sausages and similar products made from meat and poultry.

Prepared Meat: Prepared or preserved meat and offal.

Pasta: Uncooked pasta, including egg pasta.

For the full 370-page list from the government of Canada, see:
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2025/03/list-of-products-from-the-united-states-subject-to-25-per-cent-tariffs-effective-march-4-2025.html


The following US products are subject to Canada’s 25% counter-tariffs imposed on March 13, 2025:

Candles: Tapers and similar items.

Adhesives: Glues and adhesive products for retail sale.

Umbrellas: Garden umbrellas and other types of umbrellas, including those with telescopic shafts.

Walking Sticks: Canes, including those for hospital use.

Tableware: Porcelain, china, and ceramic tableware, kitchenware, and household articles.

Ornamental Ceramics: Statuettes and other decorative ceramic items.

Other Ceramic Articles: Various ceramic products not elsewhere specified.

Gold: Unwrought and semi-manufactured gold, excluding monetary forms.

Platinum: Unwrought, semi-manufactured platinum, and platinum powder.

Precious Metal Scrap: Waste and scrap of gold, platinum, and other precious metals.

Pearl Articles: Items made from natural or cultured pearls.

Stone Articles: Items made from precious or semi-precious stones.

Imitation Jewelry: Various types of imitation jewelry, including cuff-links, studs, and brass chains.

Iron and Steel Ingots: Basic forms of iron and non-alloy steel.

Semi-Finished Steel: Rectangular and other semi-finished steel products.

Flat-Rolled Steel: Various forms of flat-rolled iron and non-alloy steel, including hot-rolled, cold-rolled, and coated types.

Steel Bars and Rods: Hot-rolled, forged, and other bars and rods of iron and non-alloy steel.

Steel Shapes and Sections: Angles, shapes, and sections of iron and non-alloy steel.

Steel Wire: Wire of iron and non-alloy steel, both coated and uncoated.

Stainless Steel: Ingots, semi-finished products, flat-rolled products, bars, rods, and wire of stainless steel.

Alloy Steel: Ingots, semi-finished products, flat-rolled products, bars, rods, and wire of other alloy steel types.

Steel Piling: Sheet piling and welded angles, shapes, and sections of iron or steel.

Railway Materials: Track construction materials including rails, switches, and other parts for railways or tramways.

Seamless Pipes: Tubes and pipes made of iron or steel without any seams, used for various purposes including oil and gas pipelines.

Welded Pipes: Other tubes and pipes, welded or similarly closed, used in various applications such as oil and gas pipelines and casing.

Pipe Fittings: Connectors and accessories for tubes and pipes, like couplings, elbows, and flanges, made of iron or steel.

Structural Parts: Components used in building structures such as bridges, towers, doors, and scaffolding, made of iron or steel.

Storage Containers: Tanks, reservoirs, and containers for various materials (excluding gases), of different sizes and capacities, made of iron or steel.

Gas Containers: Containers specifically designed for compressed or liquefied gas, made of iron or steel.

Wire and Cables: Stranded wire, ropes, cables, and similar items made of iron or steel, not electrically insulated.

Barbed Wire: Barbed wire and twisted wire used for fencing, made of iron or steel.

Wire Products: Cloth, grills, netting, fencing, and expanded metal made of iron or steel wire.

Chain Products: Different types of iron or steel chains and their parts, including roller chain, skid chain, and stud-link chain.

Anchors: Anchors and grapnels, along with their parts, made of iron or steel.

Fasteners: Nails, tacks, drawing pins, corrugated nails, staples, screws, bolts, nuts, rivets, cotters, washers, and similar articles of iron or steel.

Pins: Sewing needles, knitting needles, bodkins, crochet hooks, embroidery stilettos, safety pins, and other pins of iron or steel.

Springs: Various types of iron or steel springs and leaves for springs.

Stoves and Parts: Stoves, ranges, cookers, barbecues, braziers, gas-rings, plate warmers, and their parts made of iron or steel.

Heating Equipment: Radiators for central heating, air heaters, and hot air distributors, and their parts made of iron or steel.

Household Items: Table, kitchen, and other household articles, iron or steel wool, and pot scourers made of iron or steel.

Sanitary Ware: Sinks, wash basins, baths, and other sanitary ware items and parts made of iron or steel.

Cast Iron/Steel Articles: Other cast articles of iron or steel, excluding certain oil and gas well and potash/rock salt deposit equipment.

Iron/Steel Articles: Other articles of iron or steel, forged, stamped, or wired, excluding specific wellhead tubing heads and casing head spools, and certain oilfield-related couplings and fishing tools.

Unwrought Aluminum: Aluminum in its raw, unprocessed form.

Aluminum Bars/Rods/Profiles: Aluminum shapes such as bars, rods, and profiles.

Aluminum Wire: Aluminum wire of varying dimensions.

Aluminum Plates/Sheets/Strip: Flat aluminum pieces exceeding 0.2 mm in thickness.

Aluminum Foil: Aluminum foil, backed or not, less than 0.2 mm thick.

Aluminum Tubes/Pipes: Tubes and pipes made of aluminum.

Aluminum Fittings: Couplings, elbows, and sleeves for aluminum tubes or pipes.

Aluminum Structures: Structures and structural parts made from aluminum, excluding prefabricated buildings of heading 94.06.

Aluminum Cables: Aluminum stranded wire, cables, and plaited bands.

Household Aluminum: Tableware, kitchenware, and sanitary ware made of aluminum.

Other Aluminum Articles: Nails, tacks, screws, and various other aluminum items, excluding certain items for specific manufacturing processes or scientific uses.

Hand Tools (Agriculture): Spades, shovels, mattocks, picks, hoes, forks, rakes, axes, bill hooks, secateurs, pruners, scythes, sickles, hay knives, hedge shears, and timber wedges, excluding certain heads for manufacturing and climbing equipment.

Saw Blades: Blades for various types of saws, including band, circular, and chain saws.

Hand Tools (General): Files, rasps, pliers, pincers, tweezers, metal cutting shears, pipe-cutters, bolt croppers, perforating punches, hammers, and sledge hammers, excluding certain climbing equipment and heads for manufacturing.

Interchangeable Tools: Tools for pressing, stamping, punching, tapping, threading, drilling, boring, broaching, milling, turning, and rock drilling, excluding specific tools with cermet working parts and certain nozzles for vacuum cleaners.

Machine Blades: Knives and cutting blades for machines and mechanical appliances.

Cermet Tool Tips: Plates, sticks, and tips for tools, made of cermets.

Hand-Operated Appliances: Mechanical appliances for food or drink preparation.

Locks: Padlocks, key-operated locks, combination locks, and lock parts, specifically excluding locks of a kind used for furniture and certain locks for portfolios, luggage, tackle boxes, and window manufacture.

Fittings for Furniture/Buildings: Hinges, castors, door exit devices, window operators, and other fittings for furniture and buildings, excluding certain specific items used in window manufacturing and railway coaches.

Safes and Boxes: Armored safes, strong-boxes, and cash boxes.

Office Equipment: Filing cabinets, card-index cabinets, paper trays, and other similar office equipment.

Office Articles: Fittings for binders and files, letter clips, paper clips, and staples, excluding certain fittings for multiple ring binders.

Bells and Ornaments: Bells, gongs, statuettes, frames, and mirrors, specifically excluding church bells.

Flexible Tubing: Tubing made of iron, steel, or other base metals.

Clothing Accessories: Hooks, eyes, eyelets, tubular rivets, and other parts.

Packing Accessories: Stoppers, caps, lids, and other packing items.

Sign Plates: Name-plates, address-plates, and similar plates.

Welding Products: Electrodes, cored wire, and rods used for soldering, brazing, and welding.

Water Heaters: Non-electric instantaneous or storage water heaters, including gas and solar types.

Jacks and Hoists: Jacks and hoists used for raising vehicles, including hydraulic types.

Printers and Copiers: Printers and copiers capable of connecting to a computer or network.

Computers: Portable and other automatic data processing machines, including input/output units and storage units.

Electric Lamps: Portable electric lamps, including flashlights and miners' safety lamps.

Electric Heaters: Electric instantaneous or storage water heaters and electric space heating apparatus.

Telephones: Line telephone sets with cordless handsets, smartphones, and other telephones for cellular or wireless networks, as well as network communication equipment.

Audio Equipment: Microphones, loudspeakers, headphones, and audio-frequency electric amplifiers.

Monitors and Televisions: Monitors not incorporating television reception apparatus, and color high-definition televisions with flat panel screens.

Vehicle Windows: Front windscreens (windshields), rear windows, and other specified windows for motor vehicles.

Watches: Wristwatches, electrically operated or with automatic winding.

Seats: Chairs and related items, including parts of wood and other parts.

Furniture: Other furniture items, including parts of wood and other parts.

Bedding: Mattress supports, sleeping bags, and similar furnishings.

Lighting: Luminaires, lighting fixtures, illuminated signs (including LED), and parts of glass, plastics, and other materials.

Buildings: Prefabricated buildings, including modular units of steel, and silos.

Toys: Wheeled toys for children, dolls' carriages, and other toys.

Games: Video game consoles and machines, as well as other parlour games.

Festive Articles: Items specifically for Christmas festivities and other festive articles.

Sports Equipment: Skis, ski bindings, water-sport equipment (including sailboards), golf equipment (including balls), table-tennis equipment, rackets (including tennis and badminton), sports balls (including tennis and inflatable), and general exercise equipment.

Fishing Tackle: Fishing rods, reels, lines (including retail packaged lines), and other fishing requisites.

Amusement Rides: Roller coasters, carousels, swings, roundabouts, dodge'em cars, motion simulators, moving theaters, water rides and water park amusements.

Fairground Amusements: Various items typically found at fairgrounds.

Travelling Theatres: Mobile theatrical productions.

Brooms & Brushes: Various types of brooms and brushes made from twigs or other materials.

Toilet Brushes: Brushes for personal use, excluding electric toothbrushes.

Artists' Brushes: Brushes used for painting and cosmetic application.

Paint Applicators: Rollers and pads used for painting.

Machine Brushes: Brushes that are parts of machines or vehicles.

Other Cleaning Tools: Various other types of brooms, floor sweepers, and mops.

Hand Sieves: Manual tools for sifting or straining.

Travel Sets: Kits containing personal toilet items, sewing supplies, or shoe/clothes cleaning items.

Writing Boards: Slates and boards with surfaces for writing or drawing.

Hand Stamps: Date, sealing, or numbering stamps designed for hand operation.

Lighters: Table lighters and other types of lighters.

Smoking Pipes: Pipes and pipe bowls, specifically meerschaum pipes, excluding those composed in part of briar wood, and roughly shaped blocks of wood or root for pipes.

Combs & Slides: Hair combs, hair-slides, and similar items.

Toilet Sprays: Scent sprays and similar toilet sprays.

Powder Puffs: Pads for applying cosmetics or toilet preparations.

Tripods: Tripods for photographic cameras, monoculars, and other instruments.

For the full 225 page list from the government of Canada, see:
https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/news/2025/03/list-of-products-from-the-united-states-subject-to-25-per-cent-tariffs-effective-march-13-2025.html

​
If you are a prairie CEO who wants to grow a thriving company through these turbulent times, more quickly, more easily and with less stress and headache, please contact me here.  https://www.wellspring.co/contact-us.html

​Does your business have a high proportion of US customers? Has your industry already been directly affected by US tariffs? Or are tariffs looming?

If you rely on US customers, and they have other options, they will likely consider shifting to suppliers in the US or other countries, especially if those tariffs are made “permanent”.

There is however a great deal of uncertainty about what US tariffs will go ahead, and if they do, for how long and at what levels. It’s unknown whether a trade deal will be worked out between Canada and the US. If so, this could bring back an almost entirely free trade arrangement. Or it could result in lower tariff rates on Canadian products than previously announced.

US companies or households who purchase Canadian products with high switching costs may take pause before deciding to go to a US provider. Switching early may not be worth it in the end, and may be detrimental to those customers, if tariffs end up being lower or eliminated.

That said, deciding whether to “wait and see” may not be clear-cut for many buyers. If they do switch early, only to find that tariffs don’t last or are lower than expected, they may not be willing to switch back. It may not be worth it for them by then. Therefore, you may want to consider helping them put off the switching decision by covering all or part of the new tariff through a temporary discounted price, until there is some clarity on tariff outcomes. This could allow you to keep those customers while working on alternate plans to reduce or eliminate the impact of potential tariffs.

Whether a longer-term tariff on your product is ambiguous or not, you may have an advantage if your product has unique highly valued attributes relative to options in the US. This could be a sufficient reason for your US customers to continue doing business with you. However, you will likely have to work hard to make that case. One shouldn’t assume a customer will make that choice on their own. If not reminded, customers can easily forget the unique value of a product they now take for granted.

If losing US customers is unavoidable, the other obvious solution is to find other markets for your product(s). Even the option of offering new products in the US, that are not currently facing tariffs, may be risky. The scope of US tariffs could potentially change at any time.

Those alternate markets may include looking abroad. But the quicker win may be looking to Canadian markets. As Canada places its own retaliatory tariffs on US products, certain Canadian companies and consumers will face much higher prices for American products. In that context, your product may be a more price-competitive and appealing alternative. Even under the simple threat of tariffs, Canadians are choosing more and more to buy Canadian. The opportunity for your currently US-focused business is to connect with those Canadian buyers.

If your industry is facing a continued threat of tariffs, say after a tariff implementation has been delayed, or through trade talks, it may also be in your interest to pursue new geographic markets to protect against potential tariffs.

Even if tariffs are ultimately not imposed on your industry, you may still want to explore new markets. There seems to be a growing trend of protectionist sentiment in the US. Therefore, the risk of US tariffs on Canadian products by future US administrations may not go away, even if US tariffs are not ultimately imposed by this administration.

Businesses in industries that have not been ear-marked for upcoming tariffs may also want to consider new markets. This could also help reduce the risk of future tariffs and increase their confidence in the growth potential for their business.

Yet another option for Canadian companies reliant on US customers is to move their operations to the US. However, most small to mid-size companies in the prairies are privately-owned. These owners are often highly committed to their communities. Therefore, moving to the US may not be an option from a values perspective. If no other options are available, a wholescale business model shift may be required.

If your product is facing US tariffs, and parts or materials you source from the US face retaliatory tariffs by Canada, the problem is even larger. US customers will be hard to keep AND you’ll face squeezing margins. 

More next week on managing supply cost increases due to Canadian retaliatory tariffs.

For other ways to navigate these challenging times with confidence, get the free complete Trade-War Success Guide for Small to Mid-Size Companies below.

For other ways to navigate these challenging times with confidence, get the free complete Trade-War Success Guide for Small to Mid-Size Companies below:

​Is your small to mid-size company feeling the pinch of the trade war? As a CEO in the prairies, you're not alone. I've created a FREE "Trade-War Success Guide" specifically for leaders like you. Learn how to navigate uncertainty, manage cashflow, keep your team engaged, and find opportunities amidst the challenges.

Navigating a trade war can feel like sailing through a storm. But remember, you're the captain of your ship.

Small to mid-size companies face uncertainty every day. This trade war includes some of that kind of uncertainty. How much will supply costs rise? What will happen to inflation? What will happen to exchange rates, interest rates, etc.? What will happen to our customers and markets? 

However, there is an additional kind of uncertainty present in a trade war like this one: complete unpredictability. The US tariff decisions that triggered this trade war have been and are still being made by one person, the President of the United States. 

It’s very difficult, if not impossible, to tell what decision he will make next. There are no emerging trends to track and predict. This is not driven by economic data that can be modeled. Nor does much of it seem logical, rational, or informed. We may one moment think we know what will happen next, and then things go very differently. We may think we have some insight into the intentions and strategy of the US president. Then he makes a very different decision, and we realize we were wrong. 

The chaos, uncertainty and unpredictability can trigger feelings of stress and anxiety. And CEOs are not immune. 

This trade war can also trigger stronger feelings. 

Millions, if not billions, of peoples’ lives could be affected. And yet the President’s actions may seem to some to demonstrate little care for those people. And his approach to the situation can seem unethical and inhumane to many.

If not mindful, we can find ourselves feeling frustrated, angry, disappointed, or bewildered. 

This does not bode well for our ability to deal with the situation for and with our employees, customers, suppliers, and business, let alone prepare for what could unfold.

So, I invite you to ask yourself the following self-care questions in order to be your best, as you navigate this journey as a human being:

• Am I being mindful about how much and when I take in the news?
• Am I getting enough sleep? 
• Am I getting the right nutrition?
• Am I keeping my alcohol intake down?
• Am I getting enough exercise? Even a walk once a day can make a big difference.
• What do I need to do to protect my mental health?
• What am I doing that I enjoy and that rejuvenates me?
• Am I staying connected with the people I love and care about?

Never give these things up. There may be challenging days ahead.

We need all our faculties to lead, make difficult decisions, and model what we expect from our team and employees.

For other ways to navigate these challenging times with confidence, get the free complete Trade-War Success Guide for Small to Mid-Size Companies below: