U.S. President Donald Trump will impose an additional 10 per cent tariff on Canadian lumber starting Oct. 14, compounding the trade tensions that have already rattled border communities.
In Sarnia, Ont., Mayor Mike Bradley said the tariffs are creating anxiety for workers and businesses on both sides of the Blue Water Bridge. “That relationship used to be very intense and lasting. I’d say today it’s almost non-existent,” Bradley said.
The added expense is also bound to affect London, where rising lumber costs could make housing more expensive and slow down construction. “It’s difficult enough already for young adults to buy houses,” Bradley said. “This added cost won’t be absorbed by builders; it will hit families.”
Bradley warned that the uncertainty is pushing away investment, pointing to recent job losses and companies choosing to relocate to the U.S. “Everyone’s sort of on hold buying cars, getting mortgages,” he said. “The damage to the Canada-U.S. relationship has been enormous, and we’re paying the price.”
If this situation doesn’t improve quickly, the economic fallout for Ontario could be felt for years to come.
