Canada sets retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods

Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs of up to 50% on about $20 billion in U.S. imports, officials said Tuesday, escalating a trade fight with the Trump administration after the United States moved to tax many Canadian goods.

Canadian Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne said the countermeasures will take effect Sept. 8 and will match the U.S. tariffs on comparable products. The affected goods include steel, dairy, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, and electronics.

“Today, I’m announcing Canada will match the U.S. tariffs dollar for dollar, up to 50% on $27.6 billion of imports from the United States of America,” Champagne said at a news conference. The figure was announced in Canadian dollars, equal to about $20 billion in U.S. dollars.

“For each product, our tariff would match the U.S. tariff on the same type of good,” he said.

NPR reported that the Canadian tariffs will be set at 15%, 25% and 50% on a range of U.S. exports. Champagne described the measures as a response to U.S. duties and said they were intended to shield Canadian companies and workers from the impact of Washington’s trade actions.

“Canada’s countertariffs are designed primarily to provide protection for Canadian industry impacted by U.S. tariffs and allow them to compete against U.S. products in the Canadian market,” Champagne said. “It’s all about fairness. It’s all about level playing field. It’s all about supporting Canadian workers and Canadian businesses.”

The announcement came after President Trump imposed 50% tariffs on many Canadian goods and threatened additional measures after trade talks broke down Friday, NPR reported.

“When the United States asked too much and offered too little, we chose to stand up for Canadians,” Champagne said.

Canadian officials also announced support for workers and businesses that could be hurt by the U.S. tariffs, including loans and income support for employees.

Ahead of Canada’s announcement, Trump criticized Canada on social media, accusing the country of “ripping off” the United States for decades, NPR reported. He also referred to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney as “Governor Carney” and said the United States was considering changing the name of Lake Ontario to “Lake America.”

The Canadian tariffs are aimed at the same sectors targeted by the Trump administration’s measures, according to Canadian officials. They mark the latest step in a widening dispute between the two neighboring economies, with both sides now imposing duties on major categories of goods.