Tariff Response and Resources
Resources for residents and businesses to help understand and navigate the U.S. trade tariffs on Canadian exports.
On this page:
About the tariffs
On August 22, 2026, 50% tariffs on many Canadian goods exported to the United States were put in place. This action followed the 25% tariffs placed in March 2025. As this continues to develop, you can find updates on the status of tariffs against Canada and the federal and provincial responses here:
- News: Department of Finance Canada
- Recent news: Province of Ontario newsroom
- Statement by Kitchener Mayor Berry Vrbanovic on the Canada-U.S. Trade Conflict (August 2026)
Our action plan
In response to the breakdown of Canada-U.S. trade negotiations and the imposition of new U.S. tariffs on August 22, 2026, Mayor Berry Vrbanovic announced the reactivation of the City of Kitchener’s Tariff and Trade Task Force.
The task force will build on work first undertaken in 2025 to support local businesses and protect jobs by strengthening local and Canadian procurement, identifying supports for affected businesses and workers, helping companies diversify into new markets, and advocating for assistance from other orders of government.
Recognizing Kitchener’s strong manufacturing base and its connections to continental supply chains and export markets, the initiative aims to strengthen economic resilience and support local businesses during a period of economic uncertainty.
Background
Following a council resolution on February 10, 2025, we activated a tariff response to minimize the impact tariffs have on our community and identify measures to support the local economy. On March 17, 2025, we announced our action plan to address the impacts of the tariffs, which includes five key actions:
- Amend Kitchener’s procurement bylaw to support Buy Canadian, Buy Local
- Initiate conversations with distributors and contractors on Canadian alternatives for supply
- Prioritize Canada First supply purchases for smaller dollar items
- Strategic outreach with trade-exposed companies and develop new resources on import substitution for local businesses
- Launch a Support Local campaign in partnership with local business improvement areas (BIAs), Chamber of Commerce and the Kitchener Market
See the meeting agenda or recording of the March 17, 2025 Special Council meeting for more details on our action plan.
See the meeting agenda or recording of the February 10, 2025 Special Council meeting for more details on the initial council resolution.
Key facts
- Kitchener-Cambridge-Waterloo (KCW) is ranked as the fourth most vulnerable Canadian region to the proposed U.S. tariffs, according to a recent study on exports by the Canadian Chamber of Commerce.
- $17.8 billion or 46.5 per cent of KCW gross domestic product (GDP) is generated from exports to the U.S.
- KCW's top 30 highest-ranking export industries account for 81,500 jobs.
- Approximately 50 per cent of Canada-U.S. trade moves through the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence region, which amounts to an $8 trillion economy, larger than most economies in the world.
Resources for businesses and workers
Support for your business
The City of Kitchener is here to help businesses small and large to provide support, connect you with resources and advocate for responsive programs in our community.
You can connect with us to schedule a business consultation by email
Other organizations have also announced supports for businesses and workers to help navigate the tariffs:
Federal government worker and employer supports:
- Support for workers and employers impacted by tariffs
- Government of Canada: process for requesting remission of tariffs that apply on certain goods from the U.S.
- Farm Credit Canada: $1 billion to support the agricultural sector
- Federal Duty Drawback Program
- Federal Strategic Response Fund
- Regional Tariff Response Initiative in Southern Ontario
- Work-Sharing Program
Provincial government worker and employer supports:
- News: Ontario expanding protections for tariff-impacted workers
- Ontario Together Trade Fund
- Ontario Made Manufacturing Investment Tax Credit
- Protect Ontario Financing Program
Other supports:
- Export Development Canada: $5 billion over 2 years for exporters to find new markets outside the U.S.
- Business Development Bank of Canada: $500 million low-interest rate loan program to assist businesses directly impacted by tariffs
Resources
These organizations have resources available to support your business:
- Waterloo Region Small Business Centre
- Waterloo EDC
- Government of Canada International Trade and Finance Policy
- Export Development Canada
- Business Development Bank Canada
- Canada trade tariffs, sanctions, export and import controls
- Communitech
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities
Industry associations
These associations may represent your business and will be helpful for evolving advocacy and impacts to your industry:
- Excellence in Manufacturing Consortium
- Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters
- Food and Beverage Ontario
- Ontario Federation of Agriculture
- Canadian Federation of Independent Business
- Automotive Industries Association of Canada
- Restaurants Canada
- Ontario Restaurant Hotel & Motel Association (ORHMA)
- Tourism Industry Association of Ontario
- Trillium Network for Advanced Manufacturing’s Manufacturing Ecosystem Map
- Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association (APMA)
- Canadian Vehicle Manufacturers' Association
Resources for residents
These resources can help you discover and explore local, Ontario-based or Canadian businesses:
Land acknowledgement
The City of Kitchener is situated on the traditional territory of the Chonnonton, Anishinaabeg, and Haudenosaunee Peoples. We recognize our responsibility to act as stewards for the land and honour the original caretakers who came before us. Our community is enriched by the enduring knowledge and deep-rooted traditions of the diverse First Nations, Métis, and Inuit Peoples who live in Kitchener today.