The latest tariff whiplash has done little to quell the nerves of Calgary businesses heavily impacted by the trade war.
Workers at All Metal Manufacturing are forging ahead amid even more uncertainty following another announcement about U.S. tariffs.
“We’re building products right now that we’ve sold and we’ve quoted a price out to our customer but we don’t even know what our real costs are going to be and that makes it scary,” said Chad Spicer, from All Metal Manufacturing.
One week after imposing retaliatory tariffs on many countries, U.S. President Donald Trump announced on social media that he would pause these heightened measures for most countries, instead setting them at 10 per cent.
The exception was China, which will pay 125 per cent tariffs, effective immediately according to Trump.
“I’m honored to have done it and you know, look, nothing’s over yet, but we have a tremendous amount of spirit from other countries including China.
“China wants to make a deal they just don’t know quite how to go about it,” said Trump.
Canada and Mexico are still exempt from these new tariffs but it’s little comfort to Calgary’s construction industry.
“Even the 90 days (pause) is in fact the time frame anything -- and soon with this (American) president -- they effect long-term decision making around projects and the potential for owners to cancel or postpone‚" said Calgary Construction Association’s Bill Black.
The previous tariffs impacting Canada remain in place, including 25 per cent on steel and aluminum, some auto parts and some goods traded within North America that are outside the exemptions specified in the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.
Unsettling
It is an unsettling for many companies.
All Metal Manufacturing buys most of its raw materials and sells most of its finished products to the U.S.
“(This instability) definitely makes customers gun-shy. I don’t expect any stability for the next 90 days,” said Spicer.
Trump still plans to announced additional new tariffs on pharmaceuticals and lumber, potentially raising Canadian softwood tariffs to 34 per cent.
It’s still unclear how the new China tariffs might impact local businesses, since many Calgary companies rely on products made in China for U.S. distributors, before coming here.
Prime Minister Carney described Wednesday’s announcement as “a welcome reprieve for the global economy, saying Canada and the U.S. will talk again after the federal election.
”Canada must also continue to deepen its relationships with trading partners that share our values," Carney added.
The pause on reciprocal tariffs announced by President Trump is a welcome reprieve for the global economy.
— Mark Carney (@MarkJCarney) April 9, 2025
As President Trump and I have agreed, the U.S. President and the Canadian Prime Minister will commence negotiations on a new economic and security relationship immediately…
