Mayors of border cities call on Ottawa for funding, support as tariff war continues

By Canadian Press on March 21, 2025.

Mayors of several Canadian border cities and towns are calling for support from the federal government as the tariff war with the United States starts to hurt their communities.

They say their communities are disproportionately impacted because local businesses rely heavily on cross-border movement of goods and visitors.

Mike Bradley, mayor of Sarnia, Ont., says they are on the front lines of the tariff war and need direct support from the federal government to weather the severe economic impact of rising tensions between the two nations.

Trina Jones, the mayor of Woodstock, N.B., says the provinces and Ottawa need to “act quickly and smartly” to help businesses in border communities such as hers before it’s too late.

Barbara Barrett, the executive director of the Frontier Duty Free Association, says duty-free stores are at a “breaking point” as cross-border traffic declines amid U.S. President Donald Trump’s threatened and imposed tariffs on Canadian goods.

She is calling on the federal government to address the unique needs of cities and local businesses that are dependent on cross-border trade and tourism.

Cameron Bissonnette, a duty-free shop owner in Osoyoos, B.C., says his business is going through challenging times and the situation is so dire that his store lost $67 one day last week, meaning no transactions were carried out except for a refund.

He says duty-free stores are the “hostages” in the ongoing trade war.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 21, 2025.

Sharif Hassan, The Canadian Press

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