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Barrie council looking for ways to push back on U.S. tariffs beyond slogans

City calling on province and feds to remove impediments to municipalities discounting American companies, for capital projects and supplies
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U.S. President Donald Trump is shown in his official White House portrait.

If American tariffs come into play, Barrie city council says it has a plan to help balance the trade books.

By direct motion Wednesday night, councillors approved a motion that the city call upon the federal and provincial governments to remove any impediments to municipalities discounting American companies, for capital projects and supplies.

“(It’s) to make it more difficult for them to do business with us if in fact we see tariffs levied against Canada over the next number of days, weeks or months,” said Barrie Mayor Alex Nuttall. “The reason that 'Buy Canadian' as a slogan doesn’t exactly work is that because we have more than one trade agreement that we need to respect.

“We can’t discount everybody, because they’re not the ones who are stomping on our trade agreements," he added. 

U.S. President Donald Trump has said he will impose 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian goods coming to the United States, on Saturday, Feb. 1. 

Council’s direct motion also has the city calling upon the prime minister, federal ministers and the federal government’s newly established Canada-U.S. Relations Council to take any and all measures to protect the interests of the Province of Ontario in any upcoming trade negotiations.  

Also that the City of Barrie offers its support and assistance, including formal delegations by the mayor, CAO and/or their designates to the federal and provincial governments, to strike a trade deal with the U.S that will benefit all involved, when it comes to strengthening the economy and keeping Ontario jobs intact.

“When it comes to protecting Canadian jobs, to protecting Barrie jobs and creating Barrie jobs, I think it’s important that we understand what tools are at our disposal,” Nuttall said. “It doesn’t mean we have to use them, but at least get the information back on that if we do see a trade war escalate.”

Federal officials have said Canadian tariffs are being considered if Trump carries through with his tariff plans.

Michael Prowse, the city’s chief administrative officer (CAO), noted local governments have limited weapons in a trade war.

“We are barred from giving preferential treatment to local suppliers … as much as we may wish to do that, we are prevented from doing that,” he said. “It is those same rules that prevent us from penalizing foreign bodies or foreign entities. 

“The lobbying effort that’s going on here is asking the federal and provincial government to perhaps loosen those restrictions," Prowse added. 

Nuttall also noted municipalities have limited weapons.

“Let’s pretend that tomorrow — bam! — a tariff gets levied,” he said. “We actually can’t do anything, because the trade agreements are not at our level.

“So what this (direct motion) is asking is for us to be able to be part of a change,” Nuttall added. “There would have to be … at least a vote of cabinet at the federal and provincial level. On the municipal level, we’re always at the bottom of the pecking order, so that’s the way it goes.”

Ontario’s Big City Mayors and the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) are also expected to soon weigh in on this subject.

Wednesday’s direct motion also makes a number of points in its preamble. 

It notes if Ontario was a standalone country, it would be the United States' third-largest trading partner with a near-perfect balance in two-way trade totalling $493 billion (CAD) in 2023, employing millions of workers on both sides of the border. 

Barrie is a member of the Ontario Big City Mayors’ caucus, which works collaboratively at the provincial and federal levels to promote awareness, advocacy and strategic policy initiatives to further strengthen the Canadian economy through advancements and investments including but not limited to the automotive sector.  

As premier, Doug Ford outlined the province’s forthcoming Fortress Am-Can Plan, which focuses on strengthening trade between Ontario and the U.S. on key issues, including national security, integrated and safe electricity grids, building out critical mineral supply chains and advanced manufacturing supply chains, while bringing good jobs back home for workers on both sides of the border.  

The federal government has established the Canada-U.S. Relations Council to support the federal government as it deals with possible U.S. tariffs that includes representatives from the auto sector, unions, various industries and agriculture.  

Trade between Ontario and the U.S. is important to residents and local economies, and requires all levels of government to work together in the best interest of those citizens. 

According to data from AMO, municipalities in Ontario are expected to spend $250 billion to $290 billion on infrastructure in the next 10 years.  

Municipalities have traditionally been prevented by trade agreements from giving preference to 'Buy Canadian.'



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