Canada has unveiled its full list of American imports to face a 25 percent tariff, responding to the U.S. tariffs on Canadian products announced on Feb. 1, a day earlier. Ottawa says it intends to impose tariffs on $155 billion worth of American imports.
The first phase of the tariffs will take effect on Feb. 4, impacting $30 billion worth of goods originating from the United States, including poultry, meats, dairy products like yogurt and whey, eggs, and various crops such as vegetables, fruit, wheat, and barley.
It will also target a range of alcoholic beverages, including wine, beer, and spirits, as well as tobacco products like cigars, cigarettes, tobacco refuse, and other nicotine-containing products.
Other goods affected include certain firearms, such as sporting shotguns and rifles, as well as spring, air, or gas guns; truncheons; and munitions, including bombs, grenades, missiles, mines, and ammunition.
Additionally, the tariff will cover clothing, footwear, and makeup, along with a variety of lumber and wood products, diamonds, silver, platinum, machinery, motorcycles, and drones.
Some of the major categories of the imported U.S. items that will be impacted, and their approximate annual dollar values, include:
- Cosmetics and body care: $3.5 billion
- Appliances and other household items: $3.4 billion
- Pulp and paper products: $3 billion
- Tires: $2 billion
- Plastic products: $1.8 billion
- Precious gems and metals: $1.7 billion
- Furniture: $1.6 billion
- Wood products: $875 million
- Coffee: $714 million
- Grains: $600 million
- Wine, grape spirits, and other products: $589 million
- Cocoa products: $569 million
- Tools and cutlery: $560 million
- Dairy: $555 million
- Sugar and sugar-containing products: $542 million
- Sauces and dressings: $517 million
- Fruits: $512 million
These measures will remain in place until the United States removes its tariffs on Canadian products, according to the Department of Finance.
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau addresses media following the imposition of a raft of tariffs by U.S. President Donald Trump against Canada, Mexico, and China, in Ottawa, on Feb. 1, 2025. U.S. tariffs of 10 percent on Canadian energy and 25 percent on other Canadian products will begin on Feb. 4, 2025. The Canadian Press/Justin Tang
Second Phase
The $30 billion list marks the first phase of Canada’s $155 billion countermeasure following U.S. President Donald Trump’s Feb. 1 orders to impose a 25 percent tariff on Canadian goods and a 10 percent tariff on Canadian energy entering the United States, effective Feb. 4.
Canada intends to impose tariffs on an additional list of imported U.S. goods worth $125 billion as the second phase of its tariffs. A full list of these goods will be made available for a 21-day public comment period before implementation, giving Canadian businesses time to adjust to the impact.
The government has also introduced a remission process to allow businesses to request relief from the tariffs where it’s needed to address “exceptional and compelling circumstances.”
“Canada will not stand by as the United States imposes unjustified and unreasonable tariffs on Canadian goods,” the Department of Finance said in a Feb. 2 press release, adding, “We will protect Canadian interests and support our workers and industries.”
Trump cited national security concerns for imposing the tariffs on Canada and Mexico, including the influx of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs, particularly fentanyl, from those two countries’ shared borders with the United States. He also imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on China, on top of existing tariffs, citing concerns about entry into the United States of China-made precursor chemicals for producing fentanyl. In imposing the tariffs, Trump has also cited trade deficits as a source of concern.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to the press after signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, D.C., on Jan. 31, 2025. Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
The U.S. tariffs were imposed under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, an American law that allows the president to regulate international trade after declaring a national emergency to deal with “any unusual and extraordinary threat” originating “in whole or substantial part outside the United States.”
“I made a promise on my Campaign to stop the flood of illegal aliens and drugs from pouring across our Borders, and Americans overwhelmingly voted in favor of it,” Trump said on Feb. 1.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is urging Canadians to avoid buying American products and to support made-in-Canada products instead. “Check the labels. Let’s do our part. Wherever we can, choose Canada,” he wrote in a post on social media platform X on Feb. 2.
Responses From Provinces
Some Canadian premiers have joined in the move to implement retaliatory measures, including Ontario Premier Doug Ford, who announced plans to remove American alcohol from store shelves in his province.
“Every year, LCBO sells nearly $1 billion worth of American wine, beer, spirits and seltzers. Not anymore,” he wrote on X on Feb. 2, referring to the Liquor Control Board of Ontario. “Starting Tuesday, we’re removing American products from LCBO shelves.”
As the province’s sole alcohol wholesaler, the LCBO will also remove American products from its catalogue so as to block Ontario restaurants and retailers from ordering or restocking U.S. products, Ford said.
Canada’s premiers take part in a photo opportunity during the Council of the Federation meetings in Halifax on July 16, 2024. The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese
Quebec Premier François Legault announced a similar move on the same day, prohibiting the provincially run alcohol distributor, the SAQ, from selling American products starting Feb. 4.
British Columbia Premier David Eby on Feb. 1 ordered stores in the province to pull liquor from Republican states from their shelves and directed government and Crown agencies to exclude U.S. suppliers from any new purchasing or procurement agreements.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said his province will limit access of American businesses looking for government contracts, and will double tolls at the Cobequid Pass for commercial vehicles from the United States. He has also ordered that all U.S. alcohol come off the shelves by Feb. 4.
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith expressed disappointment in Trump’s decision to proceed with the tariffs but noted that the 25 percent U.S. tariff on most Canadian goods was reduced to 10 percent for Canada’s oil and gas exports to the United States. She credited her government’s advocacy for the reduction and pledged to continue working to persuade the U.S. government to lift the trade barriers.
Calls From Opposition
During a Feb. 2 press conference, Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre urged the Liberal government to recall Parliament, which was prorogued on Jan. 6 by the Governor General at Trudeau’s request while his party engages in a leadership race to replace him. Parliament is set to resume on March 24.
His proposed plan includes levying a dollar-for-dollar retaliation against the United States, carefully targeting those tariffs to maximize the impact on American companies while minimizing the impact on Canadians. Poilievre called for returning the money raised from the tariffs to workers and businesses, and called for removing barriers for resource development projects. He also called for passing an emergency “massive tax cut” to encourage investment, energy production and export, and homebuilding.
NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh said Canada should stop the export of critical minerals to the United States, while supporting the workers and Canadians impacted by the tariffs. He also encouraged Canadians to buy Canadian products and boycott American goods.
Trudeau has said Canada may consider non-tariff responses, which could involve Canada’s critical mineral and energy exports.
The Canadian Press contributed to this report.
