U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to reporters before signing an executive order in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, Monday, March 31, 2025. Pool/AP

By Canadian Press, CHAT News Staff

TRADE WAR

Canada spared fresh U.S. tariffs as Trump unveils sweeping reciprocal levies

Apr 2, 2025 | 5:00 PM

Canada was spared additional compounding tariffs as U.S. President Donald Trump announced sweeping so-called reciprocal levies Wednesday on other countries.

Various other tariffs placed on Canadian exports to the U.S. under Trump’s economic emergency orders remain, the White House said in a fact sheet.

The fact sheet from Trump’s office says goods imported under the existing continental trade deal, known as CUSMA, will not face tariffs, while those outside the deal will see a 10 per cent tariff.

Canada was left off a lengthy list Trump unveiled this afternoon showing the tariff levels most other countries will face starting Thursday.

Trump said he is going ahead with previously announced 25 per cent tariffs on automobile imports. The U.S. is also imposing 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminum imports into the U.S., including from Canada.

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Ontario’s premier Doug Ford said the signals Wednesday from the White House were positive and reflected his efforts to press Canada’s case through meetings with Trump administration officials and American media interviews.

“This all goes back to relationships,” he said.

“I’ve always believed in that in business and government, you have to build a relationship. I believe we have built it.”

Premier Danielle Smith has also carried out her own efforts to get the levies removed from Canadian exports to the United States.

She said Tuesday that she will continue with her approach that has received some criticism as she aims to appeal to right-wing figures like Ben Shapiro.

‘Important win’

Smith called Trump sparing Canada “an important win for Canada and Alberta” in a statement.

She claimed some credit for the exemption, too.

“This is precisely what I have been advocating for from the U.S. Administration for months,” Smith wrote.

“It means that the majority of goods sold into the United States from Canada will have no tariffs applied to them, including 0% tariffs on energy, minerals, agricultural products, uranium, seafood, potash and host of other Canadian goods.”

Smith called on Ottawa and her counterparts to “shift towards removing or significantly reducing these remaining tariffs on a go forward and ensuring affected workers across Canada are generously supported until the situation is resolved.”

“I again call on all involved in our national advocacy efforts to focus on diplomacy and persuasion while avoiding unnecessary escalation. Clearly, this strategy has been the most effective to this point.”

Prime minister reacts

Prime Minister Mark Carney says U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariff regime will “fundamentally change the global trading system.”

Carney, who is meeting with his cabinet committee on Canada-U.S. relations in Ottawa, says Canada will fight American tariffs with countermeasures after the country was excluded from the list.