Canada’s East Coast seafood industry stakeholders are relieved as the government has excluded U.S. fish and seafood products from the list of counter-tariffed items. This decision, announced late on Wednesday, followed feedback received by the government. The move came after the imposition of 50% tariffs by the U.S. on a range of goods, prompting Canada to announce counter-tariffs on $27.6 billion worth of U.S. goods. Many of the initially listed items were seafood products taxed at a 25% rate.
Industry leaders expressed concerns that the countermeasures could have severely impacted the seafood business, which was unexpectedly dragged into the trade conflict. Gilles Thériault, former president of the New Brunswick Crab Processors Association, welcomed the removal of seafood tariffs, emphasizing the industry’s relief.
Nat Richard, executive director at the Lobster Processors Association, highlighted the deep integration of the industry across the border. With a short Canadian lobster fishing season, American-caught lobster is processed in Canada during the off-season before being exported back to the U.S. for sale. The potential 25% tariffs would have made processing economically unfeasible in Canada, risking plant closures and job losses.
Kris Vascotto, executive director of the Nova Scotia Seafood Alliance, warned about the broad impact of retaliatory tariffs on nearly all seafood imports. Joanne Losier, executive director of New Brunswick Crab Processors, expressed concern over potential tit-for-tat tariffs targeting the Canadian seafood industry.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston applauded the decision to remove seafood tariffs following industry representatives’ concerns. Despite the adjustments, the government reiterated its commitment to maintaining a proportional response to U.S. products. Additional items like copper wire and charcoal have been added to the tariff list to uphold the dollar-for-dollar strategy. Minister of Finance François-Philippe Champagne emphasized that the decision was made in Canada’s best interests, reflecting the government’s responsiveness to public feedback.